Latest news with #ChrisPaul
Forbes
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Forbes
The Los Angeles Clippers Now Have A Chris Paul Problem
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 18: Chris Paul #3 of the LA Clippers argues his foul call during the first ... More half against the Utah Jazz in Game Two of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center on April 18, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) On Monday, it was announced that Chris Paul would spend his 21st and final season with the same franchise he played for from 2011 to 2017. After nearly a decade-long odyssey, Paul is back with the Los Angeles Clippers in a signing that should punctuate what has been a busy offseason for Los Angeles' other basketball team. Along with adding Paul, the Clippers signed Brook Lopez and Bradley Beal, while also trading for John Collins. Last week, I gave my thoughts on what the Clippers' championship outlook looked like heading into next season. But that was before the Paul news. How much does his presence on the roster enhance Los Angeles' chances at a deep playoff run? To put it plainly, is Paul the icing the Clippers need for their title cake? Chris Paul Addresses The Los Angeles Clippers' Greatest Weakness Outside of their age/injury concerns, the Clippers' greatest weakness is their lack of passing, which can cause their offensive process to become muddled – leading to uneven isolation possessions against stingier defensive teams. James Harden is a stupendous distributor, ranking in the 90th percentile in Passer Rating. But other than him, the Clippers don't have a single person in the 66th percentile or higher in this statistical category. Paul may increase the team's average age (he'll be 41 next May), but even in his fifth decade on Earth, the man who sits at second all-time in total assists can still facilitate the basketball. Last season, Grandpa Paul placed in the 93rd percentile in Passer Rating (he has been in the 90th percentile or higher every season of his career, per Thinking Basketball). Paul gives the Clippers another ball mover to keep possessions from growing stale when Harden is taking a break on the bench. His mastery of the pick-and-roll/pick-and-pop will also pair well with the Clippers' troika of bigs (Ivica Zubac, Brook Lopez, and John Collins). The Issue With Playing Chris Paul In theory, Paul addresses the Clippers' passing quandary. That's a game-changer for them, right? Well, not exactly. At this stage of his career, Paul is neither a major threat to score (19th percentile in points per 75 possessions) nor a credible defender (31st percentile Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus, per Dunks & Threes). This puts the Clippers in quite a bind. If they close with Paul instead of Beal, they are missing out on the latter's scoring punch. If they play CP3 over Kris Dunn, they would be missing out on an All-League caliber defender. It's a similar story with Derrick Jones Jr., Bogdan Bogdanovic, Collins, etc. As we learned from watching the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers march to the NBA Finals, you need as many versatile players on your roster as possible. As currently constructed, the Clippers still have too many "specialists." Kawhi Leonard is a two-way player. Zubac is one. Batum is one. Harden isn't a two-way player, but his offensive value (94th percentile OFF EPM) is enough to make up for his defensive limitations. But what about that fifth spot? Bogdanovic is a good scorer, but you lose passing and defense with him on the floor. Beal is also a good scorer (and solid playmaker), but he has his own defensive shortcomings. Collins is a skilled big with incredible interior finishing abilities, but his defense is even more devastating given the positions he occupies. Jones and Dunn are two of the best perimeter defenders in basketball, but they aren't good enough shooters to always be trusted down the stretch. Lopez can shoot and protect the rim at a high level, but his lack of mobility can cause him to get played off the floor in the playoffs. Besides, he and Zubac can't realistically share the floor for long periods of time. No matter what, the Clippers' closing lineup will always have at least one guy who is leaving something on the table on one side of the floor or the other. Against bad teams, this won't be an issue. Heck, given all their raw talent, this probably won't be a problem against good teams. But what happens against the great teams like the Thunder or the Cleveland Cavaliers? Paul makes the Clippers a deeper team, which raises their floor. But their ceiling is still limited by their lack of reliable two-way players. Paul is a great value add on a minimum contract (3.6 million dollars in 2025-26), but, at the end of the day, he likely doesn't do enough to raise them to inner circle contender status.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025-26 LA Clippers = the OLDEST team in NBA History
Subscribe to The Big Number Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Tom Haberstroh and Dan Devine crunched the numbers after the CP3 news became official: the 2025-26 LA Clippers are now, officially, the oldest team in NBA history. With an average age of 33.2 years old (!), the Clippers have surpassed the previous record held by the Stockton-and-Malone Utah Jazz. Could this actually work out in LA's favor? Tom and Dan think the Clippers' depth and versatility could propel them to the top of the West if things break their way. Don't miss this episode of The Big Number, which deep dives on Brook Lopez, Bradley Beal, James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, Chris Paul and the rest of the seasoned vets that have their eyes on the prize after an interesting offseason. (1:45) - Clippers have the oldest roster in history (16:05) - Little Numbers: Are Clippers built to succeed in 2025 despite their age? (33:40) - Marcus Smart joins the Lakers + our favorite offseason additions 🖥️
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA offseason grades for every West team: Did Rockets, Lakers earn high marks? Plus, which squad scored an 'F'?
It may be the middle of summer, but it is time for an NBA offseason report card, as free agency news has petered from a steady flow to a slow trickle. When 40-year-old Chris Paul's reunion with the Los Angeles Clippers is the biggest story to hit the league, it is high time we start handing out grades for every team. There was plenty of movement in the Western Conference, where Kevin Durant was traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Houston Rockets, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander signed a supermax contract extension with the Oklahoma City Thunder and No. 1 overall draft pick Cooper Flagg joined a Dallas Mavericks team that wants to win now. The Denver Nuggets retooled. The Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers added veteran depth. The Minnesota Timberwolves are trying to reach a third consecutive Western Conference finals. The San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers, among other teams, are trying to disrupt the playoff status quo in the West. A lot is happening. Let us get to it. Without further ado, your 2025 NBA offseason report card ... Dallas Mavericks 2024-25 record: 39-43 2025-26 wins O/U: 39.5 Key additions: Cooper Flagg • D'Angelo Russell Key subtractions: Spencer Dinwiddie Oddsmakers figure the Mavs will win as many games this season, when No. 1 overall draft pick Cooper Flagg is in the fold, as they did last season, when they featured Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving for half the year. They traded Dončić for Anthony Davis, and Irving tore an ACL, which could cost him this coming season, too. That series of events sent them spiraling into the lottery, where they lucked into Flagg. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Scoring Flagg is a home run, but how much credit do we want to give them for a few ping-pong balls bouncing their way? More than we ding them for only adding D'Angelo Russell as an Irving replacement, I guess. But it really feels like any executive could have pulled off what Dallas did this summer, making an obvious choice at No. 1 and signing a high-usage, low-efficiency one-time All-Star to run the offense. Grade: B Denver Nuggets 2024-25 record: 50-32 2025-26 wins O/U: 53.5 Key additions: Cam Johnson • Tim Hardaway Jr. • Bruce Brown • Jonas Valančiūnas Key subtractions: Michael Porter Jr. • Dario Šarić • Russell Westbrook • DeAndre Jordan The Nuggets had little to work with and completely retooled their rotation around Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon, which seems like a good bit of business under the salary cap's second apron. Denver turned Michael Porter Jr.'s $38.3 million salary into $21 million of Cam Johnson, acquiring a more dependable and versatile player. They then manufactured three rotational players — Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jonas Valančiūnas — from nothing more than minimum contracts and Dario Šarić's expiring salary, padding a bench that previously could not sustain winning without Jokić on the floor. Grade: A Golden State Warriors 2024-25 record: 48-34 2025-26 wins O/U: 46.5 Key additions: Alex Toohey • Will Richard Key subtractions: Kevon Looney The Warriors have done little beyond adding a couple of late second-round draft picks and losing a fan favorite, Kevon Looney, to free agency. If, as has been rumored, Golden State can sign both Al Horford and De'Anthony Melton to free-agent deals, it will make this a successful summer. Horford, in particular, would join Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green as veterans who know how to win games. In the meantime, the Warriors are locked in stalemate with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, a young and talented wing who has flashed potential when he has not been in head coach Steve Kerr's doghouse. They do not seem too keen on paying him; nor do they want to lose him for nothing. It is a real conundrum that telegraphs to the rest of the league: We don't really want him, so why should you? Grade: C Houston Rockets 2024-25 record: 52-30 2025-26 wins O/U: 55.5 Key additions: Kevin Durant • Dorian Finney-Smith • Clint Capela Key subtractions: Jalen Green • Dillon Brooks • Jock Landale The Rockets traded Jalen Green, a wildly inconsistent 23-year-old, for Kevin Durant, one of the most consistent scorers in league history. It is a heck of an upgrade for this coming season — and maybe this coming season alone, as we have no idea how long Durant can sustain his greatness at 37 years old. Still, Durant transforms them from a second-seeded pretender into a bona fide contender, giving them the reliable crunch-time scorer they so desperately needed. Meanwhile, Houston extended its rotation both on the wing and at center, where they respectively added Dorian Finney-Smith and Clint Capela. Grade: A Los Angeles Clippers 2024-25 record: 50-32 2025-26 wins O/U: 48.5 Key additions: Brook Lopez • John Collins • Bradley Beal • Chris Paul • Yanic Konan Niederhauser Key subtractions: Norman Powell • Drew Eubanks • Patty Mills The Clippers reshuffled their veterans, drawing Brook Lopez, John Collins and Bradley Beal from a deck that once included Norman Powell, Drew Eubanks and Patty Mills. Beal can capably fill Powell's shoes as a scoring guard, while Lopez and Collins further strengthen a frontcourt centered around Ivica Zubac. They just added Chris Paul, too, which gives them a handful of guys who were better last decade (i.e., Kawhi Leonard and James Harden). They make sense together, or at least head coach Tyronn Lue will ensure they do. They were already a contender to challenge the Oklahoma City Thunder's supremacy in the West, and now they are a little deeper and a little more well-rounded, if not a little older. Grade: B Los Angeles Lakers 2024-25 record: 50-32 2025-26 wins O/U: 47.5 Key additions: Deandre Ayton • Marcus Smart • Jake LaRavia Key subtractions: Dorian Finney-Smith • Jordan Goodwin • Shake Milton The Lakers lost Dorian Finney-Smith, one of the best 3-and-D wings on the market, to the Rockets — not great for a team that requires defense-first role players around Dončić, LeBron James and Austin Reaves. They instead signed Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia, a nice haul for around the same amount of money that Finney-Smith received. Ayton, of course, is a 26-year-old former No. 1 overall pick, Smart is a one-time Defensive Player of the Year, and LaRavia shot 42.3% from 3-point range last year. None of their previous teams wanted to keep them, which should raise some red flags for Lakers fans. Meanwhile, the Lakers' offseason did not seem to impress James, who issued a contentious statement upon opting into the final year of his contract with the team. That led to rumors about his availability in either a trade or buyout, none of which seems imminent, and all of which seems like a major distraction. Grade: C Memphis Grizzlies 2024-25 record: 48-34 2025-26 wins O/U: 40.5 Key additions: Ty Jerome • Kentavious Caldwell-Pope • Cedric Coward • Jock Landale Key subtractions: Desmond Bane • Luke Kennard • Jay Huff • Marvin Bagley III The Grizzlies traded Desmond Bane, their third-best player, for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and the rights to four first-round draft picks, which is a lot more than anyone thought they could get for a non-All-Star. It is a forward-thinking move that gives Memphis more flexibility to build around Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. (who, along with Memphis teammate Santi Aldama, received a healthy raise this summer). Meanwhile, the Grizzlies added Ty Jerome, a Sixth Man of the Year candidate last season, to reestablish its depth at the point guard position behind Ja Morant. A lot of teams did a lot worse in free agency. Same goes for the draft, where Memphis traded up to select Cedric Coward with the No. 11 overall pick. Grade: B Minnesota Timberwolves 2024-25 record: 49-33 2025-26 wins O/U: 50.5 Key additions: Joan Beringer Key subtractions: Nickeil Alexander-Walker • Luka Garza • Josh Minott The Timberwolves did well to re-sign both Julius Randle and Naz Reid, something not everyone expected from a team that was staring the salary cap's second apron in the face. That crunch did cost them Nickeil Alexander-Walker, another key contributor to their most recent run to the Western Conference finals. Minnesota will instead depend on the internal development of its recent first-round picks, including this year's selection, Joan Beringer, to carry them forward into more serious title contention. That is not such a bad strategy when 23-year-old phenom Anthony Edwards is at the forefront of that rising development. Grade: C New Orleans Pelicans 2024-25 record: 21-61 2025-26 wins O/U: 30.5 Key additions: Jordan Poole • Saddiq Bey • Jeremiah Fears • Derik Queen • Kevon Looney Key subtractions: CJ McCollum • Kelly Olynyk • Brandon Boston Jr. • Elfrid Payton It is unclear what the Pelicans' strategy was for this summer, other than the fact that they really liked Derik Queen, for whose draft rights they traded their unprotected first-round pick in 2026. It was a wild gamble that essentially demands New Orleans makes the playoffs this season ... or loses a lottery pick. So what did the Pelicans do? In the absence of injured point guard Dejounte Murray, they traded CJ McCollum for Jordan Poole, giving the keys to their offense to one of the most inefficient high-usage players in the league, who also happens to have one more year than McCollum on the end of his deal. None of it makes any sense, whether or not Zion Williamson can remain healthy for an entire season. Grade: F Oklahoma City Thunder 2024-25 record: 68-14 2025-26 wins O/U: 62.5 Key additions: Thomas Sorber Key subtractions: Dillon Jones The Thunder, who won 68 games and the NBA championship this past season, needed to do very little in order to remain the favorite to repeat, and that they did, only adding a first-round pick, Thomas Sorber. They did, however, secure their existing core, giving max extensions to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren. That will carry some financial issues in the years to come, though it is not something they need to worry about this season, when they remain the league's best team on paper. Grade: A Phoenix Suns 2024-25 record: 36-46 2025-26 wins O/U: 30.5 Key additions: Jalen Green • Dillon Brooks • Khaman Maluach • Mark Williams Key subtractions: Kevin Durant • Bradley Beal • Tyus Jones • Mason Plumlee Poor Devin Booker. From a team that reached the 2021 NBA Finals, the Suns instead pivoted to constructing a superteam pretender, acquiring Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, both of whom left the team this summer. They traded Durant for half of what they spent to get him and paid Beal to leave. It is a sad state of affairs that is entirely of their own making. They are devoid of most future draft picks and are scheduled to pay both Booker and Beal (who, remember, is no longer on the team) a combined $88.6 million in 2029-30. All that said, they did score Jalen Green and Khaman Maluach — two high-upside young talents — in exchange for Durant, and cutting Beal gave them some flexibility under the second apron. There were certainly a lot worse alternatives to what they accomplished this summer. Grade: C Portland Trail Blazers 2024-25 record: 36-46 2025-26 wins O/U: 33.5 Key additions: Jrue Holiday • Damian Lillard • Yang Hansen Key subtractions: Deandre Ayton • Anfernee Simons The willingness to trade 26-year-old Anfernee Simons for 35-year-old Jrue Holiday, who has two additional years and a lot more money left on his contract, is a strange instinct. The Blazers must feel like they are closer to competing for a Western Conference playoff spot than most people think, or else they would not have pursued so much veteran guidance. That includes the feel-good reacquisition of Damian Lillard, whose Achilles injury will keep him from contributing at all this season. There is hope in the form of Yang Hansen if you want to get in early on the Yang train. The Blazers are certainly riding it, taking him 16th overall in last month's draft, far higher than anyone prognosticated. Grade: C Sacramento Kings 2024-25 record: 40-42 2025-26 wins O/U: 35.5 Key additions: Dennis Schröder • Nique Clifford • Dario Šarić Key subtractions: Jonas Valančiūnas • Jake LaRavia The Kings sure made signing Dennis Schröder a priority this summer. Who knows what that will do but make their quest to compete for a playoff spot in the Western Conference slightly more disappointing. Trading Jonas Valančiūnas for Dario Šarić is an odd decision, too, but for wanting to help the Nuggets. Let us hope in Sacramento for Nique Clifford, the 24th pick, who will be introduced to a team led by Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis, one of the oddest collections of talent in the league. Two of them formed the nucleus of a mediocre Chicago Bulls team, and the other has been the anchor of a mediocre team in Sacramento for some time. Together they remain, as the kids say, as mid as it gets. Grade: D San Antonio Spurs 2024-25 record: 34-48 2025-26 wins O/U: 43.5 Key additions: Dylan Harper • Luke Kornet • Carter Bryant • Kelly Olynyk Key subtractions: Sandro Mamukelashvili • Chris Paul The Spurs leaned into the Victor Wembanyama era, bolstering the frontcourt around him and developing young talent behind him. Luke Kornet and Kelly Olynyk, who will make a combined $24.5 million next year, can play either with or in place of Wembanyama, or even together. They are at no shortage for size. There is no lack of youth, either. Add Dylan Harper and Carter Bryant, a pair of lottery picks, to a core that also includes Stephon Castle in addition to the 21-year-old Wembanyama. How quickly San Antonio transforms into a contender depends on how soon everyone develops alongside its 7-foot-5 Frenchman. Grade: B Utah Jazz 2024-25 record: 17-65 2025-26 wins O/U: 18.5 Key additions: Ace Bailey • Walter Clayton Jr. • Jusuf Nurkić • Kevin Love • Kyle Anderson Key subtractions: John Collins • Collin Sexton • Jordan Clarkson • Johnny Juzang It is hard not to like what the Jazz did in the draft, landing Ace Bailey — arguably the second- or third-most talented player in the process — with the No. 5 overall pick and adding Walter Clayton Jr., an NCAA tournament darling. They will join — and perhaps even lead — a growing group of recent first-round draft picks, none of whom has developed into a star. Maybe one or both of Bailey and Clayton become one. Meanwhile, Utah was intent on ensuring it will add another high draft pick next summer. They parted ways with veterans John Collins, Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson and got little in return, other than the expiring contracts of veterans Jusuf Nurkić, Kevin Love and Kyle Anderson. This is a lottery team in a rebuild, and it acted accordingly, prioritizing the possibility of youth and the failures that come with it. Grade: B
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chris Paul pens emotional goodbye to Spurs as he returns to Clippers
The post Chris Paul pens emotional goodbye to Spurs as he returns to Clippers appeared first on ClutchPoints. In a summer filled with feel-good stories across the NBA, Chris Paul's decision to leave the San Antonio Spurs to play out his (likely) final season with the Los Angeles Clippers might just be the best one. Though Paul didn't begin his career in LA, instead being traded to the organization after then-Commissioner David Stern vetoed a move to the Lakers, he played a big part in turning the squad into Lob City, an entertaining squad that routinely headlined clip shows thanks to the dunking abilities of DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin. And yet, just because Paul will soon be wearing the red, white, and blue once more, earning a locker room at the new Intuit Dome as his home base, instead of as a visitor, doesn't mean he's over the moon to leave San Antonio. No, on Monday, CP3 took some time to thank the team for bringing him to town, wishing them the best moving forward. 'Grateful for the journey. Thank you to the San Antonio Spurs organization, Coach Pop, Coach Mitch, my teammates, the coaching staff, and the incredible fans for welcoming me this past season,' CP3 wrote. 'Proud to have been part of a franchise with such rich history and bright future. Nothing but love for the 2-1-0.' Now, as Paul noted, the Spurs really do have a bright future in front of them, with Victor Wembenyama having officially been cleared to return to on-court basketball duties and a number of exciting young players like Dylan Harper and Carter Bryant joining up for rookie action. With that being said, if Paul was going to run out his NBA career with one final season, there isn't a better place for his farwell tour than Los Angeles, as in the annals of NBA history, CP3 will forever be a Clipper, with his run in San Antonio a fun detour between his two stints in Tinseltown. Related: San Antonio Spurs' perfect move in 2025 NBA offseason Related: Spurs' Victor Wembanyama, Rudy Gobert face off in different kind of battle
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
'CP3' lives on as Bradley Beal agrees to give No. 3 jersey to new Clippers teammate Chris Paul
Chris Paul won't have to worry about choosing a number next season as he makes his return to the Los Angeles Clippers. New teammate Bradley Beal has opened the door for "CP3" to continue in what could very well be the veteran's final NBA season.. Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said Tuesday that Beal, who has worn No. 3 his entire career, offered up the number to Paul, who has also worn No. 3 over his 20 years in the league. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] "Once Brad heard that it was a possibility that Chris was coming, he said, 'I want to give him my number.' And I don't even think Chris knows this yet," Frank said. "So it's awesome that Brad made such a great gesture like that." A similar gesture was made last season when Paul played for the San Antonio Spurs. Forward Keldon Johnson gave up the No. 3 after Paul signed a one-year deal last summer. The 40-year-old Paul, a future Hall of Famer, also wore the No. 3 while at Wake Forest. He's played for seven franchises with 1,354 games played and more than 23,000 points scored. He is a 12-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA First Teamer, seven-time All-Defensive First Teamer and a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary team, among numerous other honors. Paul played for the Clippers from 2011-2017 and is the franchise's leader in assists and steals per game. He will be in a bench role this time around in LA, but can still be productive. He's coming off a 2024-25 season where he played 82 games and averaged 8.8 points, 7.4 assists and 1.3 steals per game. 'Chris was the best guy for the job as long as we all understand what the role is,' Frank said. 'There will be nights Chris plays a lot and there will be nights he does not.'
