What Will This 12-Time All-Star’s Role Be with the Clippers?

NBA

To the NBA community, it’s no secret that Chris Paul has now returned to his longtime former team, the Los Angeles Clippers, where he will likely finish his career. As to what exactly his role would be, we didn’t have many answers. However, NBA Insider Brian Windhorst seems to have an update for us in that department, saying, “From what I understand, he's not gonna have guaranteed playing time. There are going to be nights where James Harden and their backup Kris Dunn get the minutes at point guard and Chris Paul might not play at all...he has understood that.”

While it isn’t necessarily a surprise that the NBA veteran won’t see as much playing time as earlier in his career, the idea that Chris Paul might not even play at all some games and will be the team’s “third stringer point guard” may seem as a little bit of a shock, but at the same time it makes sense. Paul will be entering his 21st season, and while he was once a great player, he’s not at the same level he once was. For instance, last year with the Spurs, the former Wake Forest standout played 28 minutes but only averaged 8.8 points, and the season before that, he mostly came off the bench for the Warriors and still only averaged 9.2 points, a far cry from his earlier days where he averaged close to 20 points a game. So, given Chris Paul’s reduced playing time on the Clippers, it seems that the 12-time All-Star will be taking more of a leadership role with the team.

Often cited as one of the best “leaders” in the NBA, Chris Paul will get a chance to pass on his NBA knowledge and experiences to help the Clippers, instead of his on-court skills. These skills could be forming certain plays, helping the team read defenses, sharing tips for younger players, drafting entire schemes against other teams, etc. With someone as experienced as Chris Paul and who has as high of a basketball IQ as him, the NBA veteran can be a soothing, comforting presence for a team that seems to always be in the midst of drama and scrutiny while possibly acting as an extension of the coach on the bench and on the court when he gets playing time. So, while Chris Paul’s playing form may be diminished, his mental strengths certainly are not, and maybe that’s all the Clippers need.

Bryce Yazdiya

Hello, my name is Bryce Yazdiya and I am an undergraduate student at Florida State University studying Political Science and Media Communications. I've always had a passion for writing and am hoping to have a career in journalism after I graduate.

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