Chris Paul was once the point guard maestro of the perpetually competitive Los Angeles Clippers under head coach Doc Rivers, bringing the words “Lob City” into the public lexicon. Now after a brief stint in Houston that saw the team nearly claim a conference title, Paul is running the show for an Oklahoma City Thunder team that in little way mirrors the franchise that found themselves near the top of the food chain for the past decade.
“It’s a tough one, but I think he’s handling it like a pro. That’s what I’m hearing,” Rivers said about Paul’s situation with a rebuilding Thunder team, per Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times. “He’s been great. Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander] told me that. He’s been very positive. He didn’t come in the door mad. He said, ‘Hey, let’s see what we can be.’ It probably is still hard on him, but he’s such a pro that he’s going to do the right things.”
Through their first 15 games, the Thunder sit at 5-10, looking up at a Western Conference playoff picture that is expected to be tenacious. Rumors have swirled about whether or not Oklahoma City would buyout Paul’s contract or if another squad would be interested in acquiring him.
While with the Rockets, Paul inked a deal that pays him more than $38 million this season, over $41 million next year and over $44 million in 2021-22. He will be making double what he made during his tenure with the Clippers, although it appears that he may not be on track to winning games as much as he once was.
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