Chris Paul’s storied career is heading toward the twilight period — he’s certainly not done yet, but it’s clear at 34, his prime is behind him even though he’s still more than capable of being a star point guard.
But one of the great PGs of all time is still without a ring. And that’s what makes a report this week from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski kind of depressing. He says the Oklahoma City Thunder — who acquired him in the Russell Westbrook deal — have “parked” their discussions to deal him elsewhere and it looks like he’ll start the season with the rebuilding franchise.
That’s kind of sad.
It’s not like the Thunder are the worst team ever. They’ll have Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, Steven Adams and Dennis Schroder, a good enough core to compete for a playoff spot … if they were in the East. But they’re not. And that could leave CP3 out of yet another shot at a ring, with another year added to his career.
It’s not like this is the end of dealing Paul. The hope is something happens after mid-December, when anyone who signed a free-agent deal is eligible to be traded. Perhaps by then, a contending team can finagle its way into getting Paul, who would be the perfect third option in this point of his career to attach to one of the elite tandems that formed. I did like the idea of the Miami Heat finding a way to get him to pair with Jimmy Butler (that’s a tough defensive duo to deal with), but the Thunder obviously don’t want to use one or some of the first-rounders they’ve acquired to entice a team like Pat Riley’s to take on Paul and his mammoth contract.
That’s the right move for them, but it’s a bummer for Paul (for now). It’s just a reminder that he’s fallen short so much during his career — the Lob City Clippers never quite put it all together. The pairing with James Harden was thisclose to a Finals in 2018 … and Paul was injured and didn’t play in the famous 7-for-44 from beyond the arc Game 7 against the Warriors. There’s also the “what if” of epic proportions: What if David Stern allowed the Hornets to trade Paul to the Lakers in 2011, which would have made him teammates with Kobe Bryant?
None of that matters now. Here’s hoping Paul gets at least one more shot before he leaves the NBA behind.
