Chris Paul confirms team for his 21st season in the NBA
Now 40 years old, the free agent point guard turned down offers from the Milwaukee Bucks and the Charlotte Hornets to return to a former team.
Chris Paul will continue his long hunt for an NBA championship into a 21st year next season, returning to the LA Clippers for what may prove to be his final season in the league.
The news was confirmed on Monday by ESPN’s Shams Charania, who reported that Paul had turned down the chance to move to the Milwaukee Bucks or the Charlotte Hornets. Speaking on ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ last month Paul said that he was hoping to play in Los Angeles this season to be closer to his family.
He has reportedly signed a one-year deal worth around $3.6 million.
Paul previously played for the Clippers for six seasons, during which time he was selected to five All-NBA teams. He returns to a Clippers team that is prioritizing experience as they look to challenge for a championship. The Clippers have already signed veterans shooting guard Bradley Beal, power forward John Collins and center Brook Lopez.
The 12-time NBA All-Star is now 40 but he is still capable of playing for a Clippers team that will count themselves as genuine championship contenders. In 2024/25 he started all 82 games for the San Antonio Spurs, doing so for only the second time in his two-decade career. However given the strength in depth that the Clippers have managed to build it seems unlikely that Paul will be required to start every game in 2025/26.
Paul was averaging 7.4 assists for game for the Spurs last year and he led the league for assists as recently as 2022, the fifth time that he has finished top in that category. He remains the all-time assists leader for the Clippers having racked up 4,023 during his first spell with the team.
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