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The San Antonio Spurs have been one of the most proactive teams this offseason. They may not have shot for the stars like many thought they would, but they made a few helpful moves that should help them progress in Year 2 of the Victor Wembanyama era. One of those helpful moves was their acquisition of veteran floor general Chris Paul, signing him to a risk-free, one-year, $11 million deal in free agency.
Paul may not be the player he once was, but as one of the greatest point guards to ever play the game, he will know exactly how to helm the Spurs' Wembanyama-centric offense. But this partnership is set to be one that is mutually beneficial. After all, the 39-year-old point guard is excited for the opportunity to play for one of the greatest coaches of all time, Gregg Popovich, that awaits him in San Antonio.
“What's up, Spurs fans. Just want you guys to know how excited I am to get to San Antonio. I would have never thought [in] a million years that I'd get an opportunity to play for Pop. But I'm so excited about this young and talented team. Cannot wait to get there and get to work and see what we get a chance to do,” Paul said in his first message for fans of his newest team, per the official Spurs Twitter (X) account via ClutchPoints.
"I would have never thought in a million years that I'd get an opportunity to play for Pop… [I'm] excited about this young and talented team."
Chris Paul checks in for the first time as a Spur 👋
(via @spurs)pic.twitter.com/SZTeeFuNeg
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 9, 2024
Chris Paul has played for a few Hall of Fame coaches in his career; he spent a few years under the tutelage of Doc Rivers, Mike D'Antoni, and Steve Kerr — three of the most successful coaches over the greater part of the past 20 years. But as excellent as those coaches are, Gregg Popovich may have the greatest cachet of any coach out there, commanding respect wherever he goes from his players and opponents alike.
Paul has battled against Popovich's Spurs multiple times in his playoff career, and to be on the same side of the court for once will be a relief for the 39-year-old. It will definitely be a treat to see two of the greatest basketball minds to join forces in making Victor Wembanyama's life in the NBA that much easier.
How much does Chris Paul have left in the tank?
There is no questioning Chris Paul's track record. With the exception of the 2023-24 Golden State Warriors, Paul has had a tendency to improve every team he plays for. He is averaging 17.5 points and 9.4 assists per game for his career, and he has a long history as well of squeezing the best out of his big man pick-and-roll dance partners from David West and Tyson Chandler to Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan to Deandre Ayton.
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However, this past season wasn't exactly ideal for Paul. He landed on a Warriors team whose best player played the same position as he did, thus relegating him to a bench role for the first time in his career. Paul proceeded to put up just 9.2 points and 6.8 dimes per contest in 58 games last season (18 starts), and those numbers aren't just a result of his reduced minutes, as he was a worse producer per minute as well. (He posted the worst per-36 minutes stats of his career.)
Chris Paul is 39 years of age, so it's not like a decline is coming out of nowhere. Father Time catches up to all. But fans may have to temper their expectations as for just how impactful Paul can be for the Spurs.
At the very least, he will be representing a floor-spacing upgrade over Tre Jones. Jones hasn't shot better than 33.5 percent from deep in a single season over his four-year career thus far; meanwhile, Paul is a career 37.1 percent shooter from beyond the arc. His midrange pull-up game should give the Spurs a few more options as they continue to hand over the keys to Victor Wembanyama.
Assessing the Spurs' roster
Is there a chance for the Spurs to crack the playoff picture in the loaded Western Conference? Perhaps. Breakout seasons from Victor Wembanyama and Devin Vassell would go a long way toward reaching that goal. Adding Harrison Barnes via a salary dump may not be the most inspiring move in the world, but it gives San Antonio some stability at the three after starting Julian Champagnie for 59 games last season.
The Spurs are also expecting improvements from the likes of Jeremy Sochan and Malaki Branham. Keldon Johnson is still around as a versatile, live-wire scorer. Stephon Castle could be a contributor in Year 1. Chris Paul and Tre Jones will cherish the opportunity to set the table for their teammates. Don't be too surprised if the Spurs improve by around 15 to 20 wins next season, depending on how their young guns develop.
