The Spurs got straight to the point on Sunday night. One of the biggest splashes of the San Antonio Spurs’ offseason came right on the heels of free agency opening, when it was announced that Chris Paul would be inking a one-year, $11 million deal to join the Spurs after being waived by the Golden State Warriors earlier in the day.
The Spurs had been searching high and low for a more experienced and trust-worthy ball-handler to implement their strategy of feeding their second year phenom Victor Wembanyama, and they certainly found the right man for the job. Paul, who is in his 19th season in the league out of Wake Forest, is widely regarded as one of the greatest point guards, playmakers and distributers of all-time. Paul has accumulated the third-most assists in NBA history with 11,894 to his name over the course of his career.
Obtaining CP3, even at his advanced age, as a teammate to pair up with an incredible talent like Wembanyama is nothing short of a dream scenario, even at this point in Paul’s career. He may be 39 years old and one of the oldest players in the association, however, Chris still possesses some of the best ball skills of any player in the league, and his cerebral understanding of basketball is second to none.
After a loss to the Warriors on March 11, Popovich had nothing but admiration for Paul.
“He’s one of the all-time best competitors ever in the league,” Popovich said. “He’s a great leader, great competitor. It’s always fun to see him.”
Embed from Getty ImagesPaul made this stunning move after an underwhelming year with Golden State where it was quite evident that he is not the player he used to be. Now, he will get to bring his 19 years of professional experience and knowledge alongside one of the most exciting young talents in the league with legitimate All-NBA potential. However, the ways in which Chris will elevate Wemby’s game is not even the most significant part of this signing, it is the leadership.
Being on the backside of his career and still longing for that elusive championship, it would have been understandable for Paul to have committed to a team like the Celtics in an effort to simply ring chase. He could have had a comfortable year in a place like Boston, while also getting a solid chance at his first championship ring.
But instead, with how much appreciation and love for the game of basketball he has, Paul opted to take on a mentorship role with the Spurs instead of signing with a contender. The community knows that the Spurs are not even close to capturing a title in the upcoming season. So, for all intents and purposes, Chris sacrificed a golden opportunity to cut corners to a championship and instead chose the more noble route.
Now, CP3 will have the chance to lend valuable knowledge and lessons upon Wemby that may not result in the Spurs winning a title next season, but will in all likelihood leave a lasting impression on him for his future down the road. It is a move that all basketball purists should be thrilled to see.
From here, there is the chance that Paul’s move will inspire other veterans to do the same in the future. If the older generation of players are willing to stick around purely for the sake of teaching young budding stars in the NBA, this league would be in a better a place.
