Is it finally time for Chris Paul to pack his bags and leave LA in the rear view?
The Los Angeles Clippers fell short of claiming an NBA title once again this postseason. And for some fans, enough is enough with rumors swirling about a possible trade.
Chris Paul and the San Antonio Spurs have expressed “mutual interest” that certainly has surprised many in the basketball community.
Reports surfaced on Wednesday involving both parities, supposedly mutual interest. Just before the Game 7 elimination to the Utah Jazz the initial report indicated that Paul would sign an extension with the Clippers.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on his podcast, The Lowe Report, Wednesday that the talk of Paul moving to San Antonio is pretty legit.
“There’s been a lot of rumblings about Chris Paul, and I think that’s real,” Lowe said. “I think there’s mutual interest there. I don’t know how real it is given the Clippers can offer a gigantic amount of money and are also a really good team; and the Spurs, like I said, have no sort of cap flexibility to get there. I’m very curious about what they do this summer and who’s on the team next year.”
Although this may seem like the perfect move for Paul, in some critics eyes there are still a few factors that come into play. The Clippers may offer to sign Chris Paul to a deal worth about $210 million, if he signs to a 5- year super-max contract.
Along with the fact that Spurs can not offer a max contract, due to their cap situation.
The Spurs would have to make room for the All-Star, which in my opinion will be quite the challenge. With such an array of talent on the Spurs , deciding who to cut will be a tough decision.
Leaving the Clippers may be the right move for Paul, if he wants to make it to the Finals. But there’s no doubt that, in doing so his absence would cause for a huge rebuild of the Clippers team. Especially if their other key player Blake Griffin enters free agency. There are quite a few pieces to the puzzle, but if Paul wants a NBA title he may have to leave LA.
In today’s NBA, players are more willing to move and downsize in order to win. Thus taking pay-cuts, less playing time or even not playing all for the chance at a championship title, and honestly can you blame them?
However, for now nothing has been set in stone. But If the Chris Paul trade does happen, it would be epic. Fans would finally get to see a different side of Paul. It’s obvious that playing with a more equipped team creates for sufficient plays and a more effective players.
I guess for now we’ll have to let this one play out.