Chris Paul will be playing for the Los Angeles Clippers next season as the two sides reunite after eight years apart for what will be his 21st NBA season. All the nostalgia that comes with Paul returning to the Clippers is warranted, but this is an entirely different situation he’s walking into with this Clippers team.
The last time Paul suited up for the Clippers, they were still sharing an arena with the Los Angeles Lakers. There’s also the fact that Paul won’t be the franchise centerpiece he once was, though he hasn’t been that since he left L.A. in 2017. Paul’s stepping into a situation centered around Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, and will have to embrace a bench role for just the second time in his Hall of Fame career.
But lineups, rotations and expectations weren’t the main topics of conversation on Monday when the 40-year-old Paul was re-introduced as a member of the Clippers. Instead, the overarching theme was about how excited Paul is to be back home playing for the franchise where he spent most of his career.
It was a decision Paul said wasn’t difficult at all.
“It was a no brainer,” Paul said. “I actually did an interview before this, and I was talking about how when you’re in this lifestyle or world for a while, it’s a lot of people who would try to tell your story for you. I was actually on vacation with my family, and you see all the stories, people saying, ‘He’ll only go here if he’s starting or if he’s doing this.’ I think for me, the gratitude that I have for being able to play as long as I’ve had, I think the easiest decision in this is sitting right up here, my family. It’s getting a chance to be around them and be around a lot more, and get a chance to compete and play for a championship.”
Clippers continue to ace offseason as Chris Paul’s homecoming rounds out roster
Brad Botkin
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