Appearing on Jemele Hill’s “Spolitics” podcast (YouTube video link), free agent point guard Chris Paul suggested that his 2025/26 season may be his last.
“At the most, a year,” Paul responded when asked how much longer he envisions himself playing. “I just finished my 20th season, which is a blessing in itself. I’ve been in the NBA for more than half of my life, which is a blessing, but… these years, you do not get back with your kids, with your family.”
Paul certainly doesn’t need the money at this point. He has already netted roughly $400MM in purely on-court earnings.
A 12-time All-Star, the six-footer has spent the past two seasons as a journeyman on lottery-bound Warriors and Spurs clubs.
Paul, now 40, is also an 11-time All-NBA and nine-time All-Defensive honoree, and is a member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team. Although he’s never won a title, the Wake Forest alum did help lead the 2020/21 Suns to the brink of a championship, when Phoenix built a 2-0 NBA Finals series lead over the Bucks, only to drop four straight games and fall in six.
While playing (and starting) all 82 games for San Antonio in 2024/25, Paul averaged a career-low 8.8 PPG, plus 7.4 APG, 3.6 RPG and 1.3 SPG. He also registered a .427/.377/.924 slash line.
Although he’s not the elite perimeter defender or athletic scorer he had been during his prime on the the-then New Orleans Hornets, Clippers, Rockets and Phoenix, Paul remains a good shooter and passer, and a respected locker room leader.
The Clippers, Suns, and Bucks are among the teams said to be in the mix for Paul, who would like to be a starter but would also prefer to be as close as possible to his family in Los Angeles.
“At the most, a year,” Paul responded when asked how much longer he envisions himself playing.
As opposed to half a season or maybe a quarter?
As opposed to not playing again, I guess.
Yeah, so just say that instead of the grandstanding. Most people say I’ll play one more year instead of “at the most” as though there’s more on the horizon for a mostly washed player, at this point.
Managing your obsessive nitpicking isn’t Chris Paul’s responsibility
Cam:
And what might it say about you responding to my “obsessive nitpicking?”
Paul has made $400 million? Holy crap good for him!…don’t specifically remember him getting crazy large maxed contracts but I guess he has several times.
As opposed to not playing this year.
Right. I’m just saying his wording is hyperbolic and kind of self important.
why not Denver?
For real, he’s exactly what they need and he would have legit chance at ring
No it’s not. Paul is terrible at defense at this age.
@benjavin its 2025, at this point it’s obvious: no team is winning with Russ, Harden or CP3 on the roster. Nuggets just learnt the hard way with Russ. If Denver gets CP3, bet the house they will not win the Finals. If they do not get CP3, they have a solid chance.
Wants to be in LA or as close to LA as possible to be near his family.
Just in time to join AARP.
Does he really want to deal with the Harden in his last season? Strangely, based on his personality, I could see the answer being yes.
CP3 has missed 260 regular season games in his career. If he played in all those missed games at his career averages for assists(9.2) and steals(2.0) per game, he would have almost certainly passed John Stockton in both categories to be NBA career leader in both steals and assists with one more season played in 2025-2026.
Amazing career. But also amazing that he has missed over 3 seasons worth of games.
Nope! Stockton played 29 years and has 15,806 assists for 832 assists per year. Paul has 12,499 assists in 20 years for 625 assists a year. At that rate Paul needs to play 5.3 more years to equal Stockton. Oh, btw, Stockton missed games too in his 19 years.
Steals Stockton has 3265 for 172 a year. Paul has 2717 for 136 a year. Paul needs to play 4 more years to have the same amount of steals.
This shows how great Stockton was!!! Higher numbers in both categories in less years.
Obviously, that’s 19 years and not 29.
And those 29 years didn’t teach him how to be a decent person and not an anti-vax nut job.
260 x 9.2 =2,392
260 x 2.0=520
Chris Paul is at 12499 assists
John Stockton is at 15806
Chris Paul is at 2717 steals
John Stockton is at 3265
12499 + 2392 =14,891
2717 + 520 =3,237
Sorry you realized today that they are extremely similar.
Damn if CP3 wasn’t hurt he’d be almost as good as that insurance salesman from the 90s.
lol, 22 gms stock missed.
Stockton missed 54 games. Didn’t realize a guy playing 82 games a season should work against him.
98-99 lock out season 50 gms. doesn’t work against him. druuu’s just saying that if paul was an ironman like stock, he’d be right there with him. that’s all.
Sure it works against him. He didn’t have the opportunity to play 32 more games and accumulate more stats.
Plus, Stockton averaged 10.2 APH to Paula’s 9.2. And he averaged 2.3 SPG to Paul’s 1.6. Paul has him on PPG though
Nuggets or bucks.
For the minimum the Sixers should sign him. He can mentor their young guards. And give them solid mins in playoffs. He is worth the money to them.
Miami can start him. Great leadership opportunity. Bam and Herro need help.
Warriors
Lakers are the most predictable move of the off-season