Why Chris Paul is Such a Great Free Agent Signing by the Spurs
San Antonio is Chris Paul’s new home (Photo via Twitter)
Shortly after Chris Paul was waived by the Golden State Warriors, the San Antonio Spurs pounced. On the first day that NBA teams could talk to free agents, the Spurs secured the services of the future Hall of Fame point guard. Paul will sign a one-year contract with the Spurs for $11 million.
1) According to a team source I spoke to, Paul was the first free agent the Spurs called. Gregg Popovich talked to him and sold the 39-year-old on his vision. The Spurs view Paul as the team’s starting point guard and as a mentor for Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and the rest of the young players in San Antonio.
The hope for all parties involved is that Paul can reestablish himself as a high-quality starter after he spent a season with the Warriors that saw him primarily in a bench role.
2) While the Spurs were hopeful that Paul would buy into the vision, it’s actually a bit surprising that the point guard agreed so quickly. The common assumption throughout the league was that Paul was going to opt to sign with a contender.
In my Spurs free agent primer, I thought Paul was a good fit in San Antonio — but, as I wrote, I didn’t think it would actually happen.
3) Inking Paul to a one-year contract is one of the best possible signings for this current Spurs squad. His mentorship alone will be invaluable. Paul has a great track record of helping young players find their footing in the league and helping young teams maximize their talents.
On the court, he’s a good fit. The Spurs needed an upgrade at point guard and Paul can provide that. He’s a master in the pick-and-roll and his decision-making on offense has always been excellent. Shooting-wise, he’ll be a big improvement over Tre Jones. Paul is a more accurate three-point shooter and lets them fly a lot more often.
Defensively, Paul at 39 isn’t as quick as he once was but he can still hang on that end of the court. He’s strong, he’s smart and he isn’t one who allows himself to get bullied. Unless his athleticism falls off a cliff (no pun intended), Paul will be an upgrade on the defensive end, too.
Perhaps most importantly, Paul is the type of leader who will call out younger players for bad decisions. Adding him to your team is a fast way to improve a team’s collective basketball IQ. Anyone who watched the Spurs play last year knows that smarter play would be very much appreciated.
4) Given the length of the contract, there isn’t much risk involved from San Antonio’s perspective. The long-term books remain clean and if Paul underwhelms or the fit isn’t right, the Spurs can easily waive him.
Betting on a 39-year-old player is a gamble but the Spurs aren’t risking a whole lot. A one-year contract at less than the value of the mid-level exception is peanuts in today’s landscape.
5) There’s also a chance that the Spurs could profit by dealing Paul at the trade deadline to a contender. If he looks like a bona fide starter, a desperate contender could give San Antonio an offer they can’t refuse.
6) This is great news for Wembanyama. The team now has an on-court leader, which will make life easier for the 20-year-old. Obviously, having one of the best passers in league history will also benefit Wembanyama. He can learn the art of the pick-and-roll and his teammates can learn how to throw lobs to the 7-foot-forever Frenchman.
7) I like this news for Castle, too. I know that Castle wants to play point guard but that’d be too tall of a task for a teenage rookie who played wing in college. It wouldn’t be fun for him to have every missed alleyoop to Wembanyama go viral as a Shaqtin’ lowlight.
With Paul on board, Castle can learn first-hand how to run the point in the NBA. Additionally, Paul isn’t a ball-dominant point guard these days so there will be plenty of opportunities for Castle to run the show.
Personally, I’m hoping the starting five is Paul, Castle, Vassell, Sochan and Wembanyama. That’s a somewhat small starting five but it has potential on both ends of the court.
8) Tre Jones played well last season but I like him much better off the bench. As a starter, teams take advantage of his limited range on offense and his small stature on defense. Off the bench, he can simply just provide unrelenting energy and teams won’t be able to specifically gameplan to exploit his weaknesses.
9) The Spurs should do all they can to bring Juan Nunez over from Spain for next season. Nunez learning from Paul would be too great of an opportunity to miss.