Chris Paul Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Paul Excited For Clippers Reunion Despite Backup Role

July 29th, 2025 at 9:15pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Chris Paul started every game for the Spurs last season but he’s content to be James Harden‘s backup with the Clippers, he told reporters this week.

“My role on this team is obviously different than it’s been the past 20 years, being in the NBA,” Paul said, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “But showing up every day, if I can show some of the guys what it looks like every day to clock in and clock out, I’m excited for it.”

Paul signed a one-year, veteran’s minimum contract to continue his Hall of Fame career and once again chase a championship, the one thing that has eluded him in his career. He’s hopeful the drought will end during his second stint with the franchise.

“I’m just so excited about the moves that the team has made this offseason,” Paul said. “Brad (Bradley Beal) coming to the team, Brook Lopez, all the young guys. I talked to James, I talked to Kawhi (Leonard), and I’m even more excited about what I think we have a chance to do.”

Returning to Los Angeles as a free agent was a “no-brainer” for Paul, since his family is situated there..

“If I’m really honest, I wanted to get back and play here by any means necessary,” Paul said.

It was reported that Paul also seriously considered returning to Phoenix but the Suns brass was cool to the idea of a reunion.

There was well-documented friction between Paul and Harden when they played together in Houston but Paul shrugged off those past disagreements.

“You know we got on each other in different situations,” he said, per Law Murray of The Athletic. “But that team, I can honestly say, it was one of the funnest teams I’ve ever been on in my career, and James is one of those guys that loves to be in the gym all day long. And so it’s wild that you get this opportunity again after those two years and the success that we had, and we definitely know we had unfinished business. So we get a chance to see what’s going on here.”

Paul, who is entering his 21st year in the NBA, refused to reveal whether he plans to make this season his last.

Stein’s Latest: Paul, Smart, Thomas, Kuminga

July 28th, 2025 at 9:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Chris Paul returned to Los Angeles and signed with the Clippers on a one-year deal last week. Paul showed strong interest in playing for one of his other former teams before making his decision, according to the latest Substack article from Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.

The other team that Paul considered rejoining was the Suns. The team’s star, Devin Booker, was intrigued by the potential reunion, given how they meshed during Phoenix’s run to the 2021 NBA Finals. There was also seemingly a spot for Paul at the point, since Tyus Jones chose to sign with Orlando.

The Suns’ front office decided to go in another direction. Phoenix was much more interested in defensive stalwart Marcus Smart, who chose to sign with the Lakers after reaching a buyout with Washington. Phoenix’s brass also had some concerns how the future Hall of Famer’s presence might create some awkward situations for first-year head coach Jordan Ott.

The Suns wound up claiming Jordan Goodwin off waivers and signing Jared Butler to a non-guaranteed contract. Paul also drew interest from the Hornets, Mavericks and Bucks, as previously reported.

Citing a source, Stein said Dallas had D’Angelo Russell higher on its wish list than Paul. The Mavs’ brass believed Russell would be more comfortable in a complementary role once Kyrie Irving returns from his knee ailment. They also felt Russell was a better fit with Anthony Davis, considering they had played together with the Lakers. Russell signed a two-year deal with the Mavs.

Here’s more nuggets from The Stein Line:

The Hawks considered absorbing Smart’s contract into its $25MM traded player exception prior to his buyout. Atlanta opted instead to acquire Kristaps Porziņgis and make a sign-and-trade transaction for Nickeil Alexander-Walker. The Bucks explored potential trades for Smart and the Warriors‘ Andrew Wiggins with the aid of Pat Connaughton‘s expiring $9.4MM contract. They instead dealt him to Charlotte for two future second-round picks.
Fischer reiterates that the Nets’ offers to restricted free agent Cam Thomas have yet to exceed two-year proposals featuring an annual average value in the range of the league’s $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception. Those offers also include a team option for the second year. Brooklyn appears to be in no rush to ramp up negotiations with Thomas’ representation, given Thomas’ lack of leverage.
Regarding another prominent restricted free agent, Jonathan Kuminga has not gotten an offer from the Warriors close to his reported $30MM annual asking price. The Warriors’ best offers to Kuminga have topped out in the two-year, $40MM range, per Stein. As previously reported, the Kings and Suns are regarded as the top suitors but Golden State wants a first-round pick in any sign-and-trade deal. Phoenix is unable to offer a first-rounder.

Pacific Notes: Curry, Paul, Brooks, Moody

July 25th, 2025 at 8:01pm CST by Eli Cohen

Stephen Curry isn’t planning on retiring from the Warriors soon, but when he does, he wants it to be on his terms, he told Complex’s Speedy Morman (YouTube link).

“I’m kind of just taking it in two-year chunks,” Curry said of how he approaches the twilight years of his career. “You have to give yourself some motivation to go after.”

Curry adds that it’s not the grind of the 82-game season that’s a struggle now that he’s at this stage: “The offseasons, for me, are the hardest… the games are so much fun, you get lost in the game. That’s the easy part. So if I get through offseasons, that’s a mark for how long I can push it.”

Curry also reflected on his place in NBA history and the achievements he’s still chasing, especially when it comes to his place on the all-time scoring list and his ability to potentially crack the top 10.

“I do that math all the time, just to get in your head how long do you have to play and what level to catch those at the top of that list,” Curry said. “But that’s not why I’ll keep going, it’s more that I want to be at a level where we’re competing and playing for championships and hopefully control as much of that as possible down the stretch of my career.”

Curry currently sits 27th on the list with 25,386 points. At his typical rate of scoring, it would take him somewhere between three to four seasons to bump Moses Malone out of the 10th spot, where he sits with 29,580 points.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Chris Paul‘s return to the Clippers isn’t just a way to relive former glories, writes Law Murray of The Athletic. Although the Clippers are as deep as any team in the league, adding Paul’s skill set will be very beneficial, according to Murray, who points out that Los Angeles ranked 23rd in turnover percentage and assist-to-turnover rate last season, an area in which Paul has always excelled. “Ball-handling and play-making were areas we wanted to address this offseason,” said Clippers’ president Lawrence Frank. “When we were at our best, we were taking care of the ball.” Murray also points out that despite a rocky ending with the Rockets, James Harden was a big part of bringing Paul back to the City of Angels. Paul will serve as a reliable depth option, coming off the bench alongside fellow high-level veteran Brook Lopez, and will provide insurance should Harden miss time.
The Suns wanted to get younger this summer once it became clear that Kevin Durant was leaving, but they also wanted to get tougher, writes Doug Haller for The Athletic. Enter Dillon Brooks. Brooks brings a level of intensity, sometimes bordering on chaos, that the Suns have rarely had, but he’s also a valuable and versatile defender, which will be important on a young team full of players still figuring out that end of the floor. While Brooks might be best known for his scrappy style of play and a tendency to rack up technical fouls, those who have spent time with him know his game contains multitudes. “If you’re giving a scout, you could ask Dillon about the best player,” former Grizzlies assistant coach Blake Ahearn said. “You could also ask him about the 13th player — Dillon will be able to give you a full scouting report on everybody. His attention to detail and how he prepares in order to guard guys is special.”
Moses Moody is set to become the third-longest tenured player on the Warriors if restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga doesn’t return, writes DJ Siddiqi for RG. Moody credits his relationship with Draymond Green as a big part of his growth over the years. “He teaches me so much, not even just about basketball, but I’ll go to his room, hang out and talk to him all the time about all types of things. We actually went to his house when I was in LA last week, and he showed me different things and was teaching me about art,” Moody said. “He’s taught me about finance, about money, about the league, about being a professional… He’s just been that guy for me.”

Pacific Notes: Paul, Beal, LeBron, Bronny, Clifford, Goodwin

July 23rd, 2025 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Clippers signed Chris Paul and Bradley Beal, who’ve both worn No. 3 throughout their careers, but there won’t be a battle over who gets the number in L.A., writes Jay Dieffenbach of The Arizona Republic. Entering possibly the final season of his long career, Paul will be able to keep his signature number and his “CP3” nickname.

“Once Brad heard it’s a possibility Chris was coming, he said, ‘I want to give him my number,’ and I don’t even think Chris knows this yet,” president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said in a conference call with reporters. “It’s awesome that Brad made such a great gesture like that. … Brad is such a great guy and an awesome teammate. … He knows what that jersey means to Chris. There’s a reason why he’s CP3.”

Paul has a history with the number and the franchise, wearing it from 2011 to 2017 when he was a perennial All-Star. Frank said Beal hasn’t decided yet what number he will choose.

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

In a Threads exchange with radio host Colin Cowherd, Brian Windhorst of ESPN sheds some light on the uneasy relationship between LeBron James and the Lakers since the arrival of Luka Doncic. “A lot has changed for LBJ in the last year,” Windhorst wrote. “A year ago the Lakers were offering him a multi-year deal with a player option, drafted and guaranteed Bronny a long-term deal and LBJ was offering to give up money to work with free agents. Now Luka is centerpiece of franchise & the transition has shocked & strained everyone & they’re all dealing with the new reality. That’s playing out partially in real time and in some public. At the end of the day, I think LBJ wants to be a Laker.” James’ agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, said in a Summer League interview that James hasn’t asked the team for a trade.
Bronny James‘ improvement was the most significant development for the Lakers‘ Summer League squad, observes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. James averaged 14.2 points, 3.8 assists and 2.8 rebounds in Las Vegas and was able to attack opposing defenses with more confidence than he showed a year ago. However, he only shot 29.6% from three-point range and still needs to become more consistent on defense, Price adds.
Kings first-round pick Nique Clifford talked about his first Summer League experience and his expectations for his rookie season in an interview with Sean Cunningham of KCRA News in Sacramento (Twitter video link).
The Suns, who claimed Jordan Goodwin off waivers earlier today, knew there was at least one other team planning to submit a claim for the former Lakers guard and weren’t sure they’d land him, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link). Waiver priority is determined by last season’s record, with the worst teams getting first dibs.

Leonard, Harden Signed Off On Paul Addition

July 22nd, 2025 at 5:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Chris Paul‘s return to Los Angeles and the Clippers goes beyond sentimentality. Paul could be a piece to a championship puzzle as a key second-unit floor leader, according to president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank.

Paul signed a one-year contract for a second stint with the organization for which he played from 2011-17. He started for the Spurs all of last season but accepted a backup role offered by the Clippers.

“Chris takes care of the ball and runs an offense about as well as anyone who’s ever done it,” Frank said, per Janis Carr of the Orange County Register. “He’ll slot into our roster as a reserve point guard. There’ll be nights when Chris plays a lot, there’ll be nights he does not. Chris is excited to be here, to be part of the group, to help lead the group and to play when called on.”

Paul was looking to play closer to his family in Los Angeles. The 40-year-old had issues with James Harden when the two stars played in Houston but there’s no lingering bitterness. In fact, Harden felt Paul would be an ideal choice to back him up.

“When talking to James, talking to Kawhi (Leonard) … both guys said CP would be the best guy for this role,” Frank said. “I think James is all about winning. … He thought that Chris would be a great fit for the team.”

This could be Paul’s last season and last chance to win a championship, a goal which has eluded him in his career.

“Well, I think there’s the nostalgic aspect,” Frank said, according to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. “But I think the No. 1 question that we always say, is how can he help impact winning? … And yeah, look, there’s the heartstrings part of it, of someone who was such a significant part of the Clippers’ rise to be able to bring it back. Whether this is his last year or not, that’s obviously Chris’ story in terms of what he feels and what he wants. But I think No. 1 is his ability to help impact winning.”

Frank also touched on a few other topics during his Zoom session:

Amir Coffey remains a free agent after appearing in 72 games with the Clippers last season. Jordan Miller, who starred in the Summer League for the Clippers, was waived earlier this month. Frank isn’t sure that the team will be able to bring back either player due to first apron concerns, Law Murray of The Athletic tweets. “If there’s an opportunity here, we’d love to be able to create it. If there isn’t, then we wish those guys nothing but the best,” Frank said.
Frank believes there’s more quality players than rotation spots on the current roster, according to Murray (Twitter link). “We’ll probably have a nine-man rotation… but you have 11 quality players,” he said.
The frontcourt, ball-handling and shooting were areas Frank was looking to upgrade this summer. He feels those goals have been achieved, Murray tweets. “I think we feel really, really good and excited about where we’re at, but you never stop,” he said. The Clippers traded for forward John Collins, signed guard Bradley Beal after he was bought out by Phoenix and also added veteran center Brook Lopez in free agency.

Pacific Notes: Suns, Beal, Paul, Harden

July 21st, 2025 at 9:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Suns are comfortable with their current roster, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic reports, though they must make at least one more move.

Aided in large part by the Kevin Durant trade and the buyout of Bradley Beal‘s contract, the Suns have dropped under the tax aprons and can now aggregate contracts in a trade, do a sign-and-trade and use mid-level exceptions. However, it’s unlikely they’ll make another significant move.

While Rankin confirms the Suns have some interest in restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, they likely lack the draft capital and assets to pique the Warriors’ interest. Veteran free agents Russell Westbrook and Al Horford are not on their radar, Rankin adds.

Phoenix will have to add another player to the standard roster by the fall to meet the minimum of 14.

Here’s more from the Pacific Division:

What does the Suns‘ starting lineup look like after all the roster additions and subtractions? Rankin predicts Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Ryan Dunn and Mark Williams will claim those spots. Collin Gillespie, Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale, Oso Ighodaro and lottery pick Khaman Maluach project as the top reserve candidates.
Beal, who joined the Clippers on a two-year, $11MM contract, has a 15 percent trade kicker as part of his new deal, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets. Beal officially signed with L.A. on Friday after clearing waivers.
There’s no lingering friction between Chris Paul, who signed with the Clippers on Monday, and his former Rockets teammate James Harden, according to Law Murray of The Athletic. In fact, president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank declared that Paul will back up Harden next season. Frank was intent this offseason on getting quality depth, considering his aging roster and the proliferation of injuries throughout the league. “I’ll knock on wood, but the reality is for any NBA team, the amount of times you have your top 10 all available is usually 21 to 25 times throughout the course of a year. So, you literally need everyone on your roster to be able to contribute,” Frank said.

Clippers Sign Chris Paul To One-Year Deal

July 21st, 2025 at 5:49pm CST by Luke Adams

5:49pm: The signing is official, according to a Clippers press release relayed by Mark Medina of Sportskeeda (Twitter link).

“He is joining us as a reserve point guard and is excited to fill whatever role (coach Tyronn Lue) asks him to play,” president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said in the statement.

10:13am: Chris Paul is returning to Los Angeles, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link), who hears from the point guard’s representatives at CAA that Paul has agreed to sign with the Clippers for what will likely be his last season.

It will be a one-year, minimum-salary deal for Paul, per NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link).

Paul received interest from a number of teams during free agency, but was known to be prioritizing an opportunity to play close to his family in Los Angeles. He reportedly rebuffed interest from Eastern Conference suitors like the Bucks and Hornets, as well as non-West Coast clubs like the Mavericks. The Clippers and Suns were long viewed as the most likely landing spots for the future Hall of Famer.

Paul, who turned 40 in May, spent six seasons with the Clippers from 2011-17 during what was arguably the most successful stretch of his NBA career. He received MVP and Defensive Player of the Year votes in each of his first five seasons in Los Angeles and was an All-Defensive first-teamer in all six years. He also made five consecutive All-Star teams and earned five All-NBA nods (three first-team and two second-team) in his first go-round as a Clipper.

While Paul is no longer in his prime, he started every game for San Antonio last season, marking just the second time in his 20 NBA seasons that he has made 82 regular season appearances. The former Wake Forest standout averaged a career-low 8.8 points per game for the Spurs, but contributed 7.4 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per night while making 37.7% of his three-point attempts and 92.4% of his free throws.

Paul has started 1,314 of his 1,354 career NBA games, with all 40 of those appearances off the bench coming in Golden State in 2023/24. It’s unclear if he’ll get a chance to be part of the starting five in L.A. next season, with James Harden, Bradley Beal, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and defensive ace Kris Dunn all in the backcourt mix as well.

Still, having Paul on the roster further solidifies the depth chart for a Clippers team that has made several notable veteran additions with limited resources this offseason. The club split its mid-level exception on Beal and Brook Lopez, traded Norman Powell for John Collins, and will now bring Paul aboard on a minimum-salary contract.

Once their signing of Paul is complete, the Clippers will have 14 players on guaranteed standard contracts. They won’t have enough breathing room below their first tax apron hard cap to add another veteran-minimum player before the season begins.

Stein’s Latest: Simmons, CP3, Clippers, Nuggets, Simons, Mavs

July 21st, 2025 at 10:01am CST by Luke Adams

After his Stein Line teammate Jake Fischer reported that the Kings and Knicks look like the top candidates to land Ben Simmons, NBA insider Marc Stein suggests within his latest Substack article that at least a couple more clubs are in the mix for the former No. 1 overall pick.

According to Stein, Simmons has drawn interest from the Celtics since free agency began and has also had some recent conversations with the Suns.

While a couple of those teams could offer Simmons a portion of their mid-level exception, most of them have tax- or apron-related concerns that would make a minimum-salary offer more likely for the former 76er, who celebrated his 29th birthday on Sunday. Phoenix would cross the tax line with even a veteran-minimum signing, New York has used its full taxpayer mid-level exception, and Boston is currently operating slightly above the second tax apron.

Simmons is a three-time All-Star who has made a pair of All-Defensive first teams and was the Defensive Player of the Year runner-up in 2021, but he has battled back issues in recent years and has been a tricky fit in lineups that feature any other non-shooters. In 51 total appearances for the Nets and Clippers last season, he averaged 5.0 points, 5.6 assists, and 4.7 rebounds in 22.0 minutes per game.

Here’s more from Stein:

Following up on Lawrence Frank‘s comments on Saturday about the Clippers “strongly, strongly considering” Chris Paul, Stein suggests that most rival front offices view the veteran point guard as “the Clippers’ signee to lose.”
With Jared Dudley and J.J. Barea set to occupy the top two spots on David Adelman‘s bench in Denver, the Nuggets don’t intend to hire an assistant specifically for their third front-of-bench position. Instead, the plan is to rotate assistants in and out of that role depending on game-to-game scouting responsibilities, Stein explains. Ognjen Stojakovic, a holdover from Michael Malone‘s staff who is close with Nikola Jokic, is one coach expected to be in the rotation for that third assistant slot, Stein adds.
League sources confirm to Stein that the Celtics are continuing to explore the trade market for recently acquired guard Anfernee Simons.
The Mavericks will congregate in Canada this fall, according to Stein, who says the team’s training camp will be held in Vancouver, B.C.

Lawrence Frank: Clippers ‘Strongly Considering’ Chris Paul

July 19th, 2025 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to reporters over Zoom on Saturday, Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said the team is “strongly, strongly considering” signing free agent point guard Chris Paul (Twitter video link via Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints).

While the Clippers still have two open spots on their projected 15-man roster, they only have about $3.57MM in breathing room below their first-apron hard cap, which wouldn’t be enough to fit more than one veteran minimum contract before the season begins. As Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN tweets, the expectation is that adding ball-handling and play-making will be a goal for the Clippers as they consider options for that 14th roster spot.

Assuming he continues his career and plays a 21st NBA season in 2025/26, Paul is known to be prioritizing proximity to his family in Los Angeles, so the Clippers would be a logical match for him in that regard.

At least one report indicated he’d also like to continue to be a starter after starting all 82 games for San Antonio last season — that kind of role might be harder to come by with the Clippers in the wake of their Bradley Beal addition.

Here are a few more of Frank’s noteworthy comments from today’s presser:

Frank spoke at length about the signing of Beal, which became official on Friday, noting that the team had twice tried to trade for the veteran shooting guard in the past (Twitter link via Law Murray of The Athletic). Secondary play-making and ball-handling are among the reasons the Clippers targeted Beal, according to Frank, who said he also believes the 32-year-old can be a positive contributor on defense (Twitter links via Murray). Additionally, Frank repeatedly referenced a desire to get Beal involved in hand-off actions, which was a strategy the Clippers used frequently with Norman Powell, tweets Murray.
Mark Bartelstein, Beal’s agent, spoke to many people within the Clippers’ organization before his client committed to the team, including having a half-hour conversation with James Harden, according to Frank (Twitter link via Youngmisuk).
Frank credited Harden for signing a contract that gave the Clippers enough wiggle room below the first apron to use their full non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which allowed them to sign both Beal and free agent center Brook Lopez (Twitter link via Murray). The Clippers are one of just three teams – along with the Pistons and Lakers – to have used every dollar of the $14,104,000 MLE so far in 2025/26 (Portland could become the fourth, assuming Damian Lillard‘s deal is worth the full amount).
Addressing the acquisitions of Lopez and John Collins, Frank explained that the Clippers made it a priority to add size in their frontcourt and wanted to bring in players with more diverse skill sets that could complement one another (Twitter link via Youngmisuk).
Pointing out that the Clippers have 10 players who project to be rotation players, Frank acknowledged that head coach Tyronn Lue “usually” plays just nine. As the Clippers weigh their options for their 14th roster spot and set their rotation this fall, role definition and communication will be key, Frank said (Twitter link via Murray).

FA/Extension Rumors: Giddey, Suns, Young, Doncic

July 16th, 2025 at 2:11pm CST by Luke Adams

Restricted free agent Josh Giddey hasn’t been attending Bulls Summer League games despite being in Las Vegas this past week, but there are no signs that contract talks between the two sides have “ever become contentious,” writes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune (subscription required).

According to Jamal Collier of ESPN, Giddey had lunch with Bulls head coach Billy Donovan in Vegas and the guard’s agent was scheduled to meet with team executives at some point this week.

As Poe notes, there’s a significant gap to bridge in the contract negotiations between Giddey and the Bulls. While the 22-year-old is reportedly seeking an annual salary in the range of $30MM per year, the Bulls would prefer something closer to $20MM per year, says Poe. Reaching a compromise will likely take some time, but multiple sources tell Collier that they anticipate the point guard and the club to come to terms on a new contract sooner or later, and Poe hears the same thing.

Here are a few more notes and rumors on free agents and other NBA contract talks:

While the Suns are expected to add a guard to their roster to replace Bradley Beal, Gerald Bourget of PHNX Sports tweets that neither Chris Paul nor De’Anthony Melton seems likely to end up in Phoenix. John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7, meanwhile, says (via Twitter) that the Suns don’t have interest in former No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons.
Trae Young was involved in recruiting Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard to Atlanta this offseason and is excited about what the Hawks‘ new-look roster is capable of, Marc J. Spears of Andscape said during a TV appearance on ESPN on Monday (Twitter video link). However, according to Spears, there haven’t been any “substantive talks” yet about a contract extension for the four-time All-Star. Young holds a player option for 2026/27, so he could become an unrestricted free agent as soon as next July.
Appearing on NBA Today on Tuesday (YouTube link), ESPN’s Brian Windhorst noted that even if Luka Doncic intends to sign an extension with the Lakers this summer, it may not happen right away once his restrictions lift on August 2 (six months after his trade to L.A.). As Windhorst observes, Doncic will be overseas with the Slovenian national team preparing for this year’s EuroBasket tournament and typically hasn’t made a habit of finalizing NBA contracts until after his time with the national team is over.