Free agent veteran guard Chris Paul is reportedly open to leaving California to finish out his NBA career, a league source told NBA insider Marc Stein on Monday.
Bucks, Mavs, Suns, Hornets Wanted Chris Paul
Over the summer, Paul met with the Milwaukee Bucks amid interest from the Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix Suns. The future Hall of Famer had also turned down offers from the Dallas Mavericks and Charlotte Hornets.
Paul is now welcoming a potential signing with a playoff team outside the Golden State.
“They’re going to try to get him somewhere. It’s so interesting — in the summer, if you remember, the Bucks, the Mavs, the Hornets — these were all teams that registered interest in Chris Paul,” Stein said Monday while on the ALL NBA Podcast.
“And at that time, Chris Paul was telling teams, ‘I want to be in L.A. I’ve been away from my family for the last five or six years. They’ve stayed back in L.A. while I’ve played for all these various teams,'” Stein continued.
“His message in the summer was, ‘I don’t want to be any farther from L.A. than Phoenix.’ Phoenix was as far away as he was willing to go. Now, because things went so poorly with the Clippers, I think he’s open.
“He’d be open to a variety of destinations. I think he just wants to go somewhere he can have a role and put together a final chapter that he’s happy with — because obviously, the way his second stint with the Clippers went is not how he wants to go out.”
Clippers Sent Chris Paul Home
Paul signed a one-year, $3.6 million contract with the Clippers in July. However, after making just 16 appearances with L.A. this season, Paul was sent home by the team.
It should be noted that Paul hasn’t been waived, meaning he could be traded.
Paul, who turns 41 in May, had planned to close out his 21st NBA season with the franchise he spent six seasons with from 2011 to 2017. The 12-time All-Star is the Clippers’ franchise leader in assists (4,076) and steals per game (2.1).
Appearing on ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show in June, Paul said signing with a team close to his family on the West Coast would be one of his priorities over the summer.
“My son just turned 16,” he said. “My daughter is 12. The past six seasons, I’ve lived without them. I go to San Antonio, Phoenix, Golden State — they were in Houston with me — Oklahoma City… I’ve been around a few teams, but I’ve been away from them the last six years.”
Paul Now Eligible For Trade
It’s unclear which team Paul will play for next, but he could stay put and sign with the other L.A. team. Fans are predicting he’ll sign with the Lakers in January.
Requesting a trade to the Purple and Gold is another possibility.
“Stuff’s been a little crazy in the past few days — to say the least,” Paul told People.com in an interview published Dec. 9. “But honestly, I’m home. My daughter had tryouts yesterday. My nephew had a basketball game. And my son has a game coming up on the 12th.”
Since today is Dec. 15, Paul is now officially trade-eligible. Another option for the Clippers would be for the team to waive Paul and pay out his $3.6 million salary.
A trade to a preferred team seems more likely.
