After Chris Paul played in all 82 games during his 20th season in the NBA, he may find a new home for year 21 as the veteran point guard enters the offseason as an unrestricted free agent. Last year, he signed a one-year deal to join the San Antonio Spurs and become a mentor for the young, Victor Wembanyama-led franchise.
Now, though, the Spurs' circumstances in acquiring guards that align more closely with Wembanyama's timeline may push Paul to sign elsewhere this offseason. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Paul is a "name to monitor" for the Dallas Mavericks who will be without Kyrie Irving after he suffered a torn ACL in March. Whether Paul lands in Dallas or not, Stein reported Monday his time in San Antonio may come to a close after the one-year deal.
"Anticipation is building that Paul could be on the move again this offseason even though his time as a Spur as a mentor to Wembanyama and a young team overall was an unabashed success," Stein wrote on The Stein Line Monday. "The reality now, though, is that San Antonio acquired De’Aaron Fox in February and just watched Stephon Castle assemble of a Rookie of the Year season."
The additions of Fox and Castle over the past year point toward less space for Paul in San Antonio's guard room. The Spurs found some luck in this year's NBA draft lottery, too, jumping up six spots to receive the No. 2 pick in next month's draft. Stein noted that the Spurs have attempted to convey to rival teams that they intend to stay put at No. 2 to select another guard, Rutgers' Dylan Harper—the top guard in this year's draft class.
"With or without Harper in the Alamo City next season, it is difficult to see how there would be room [for Paul] in the Spurs' backcourt next season," Stein wrote.
With a bevy of new guards in the mix, Paul's stint in San Antonio appears to be headed toward a close. Last season, the 40-year-old guard started all 82 games for the Spurs, averaging 8.8 points and 7.4 assists per game.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as NBA Insider Provides Chris Paul Update Following Spurs' Draft Lottery Luck.
