Chris Paul has agreed to a deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, who noted that Paul had multiple suitors but opted for a Clippers reunion.
Longtime NBA insider Chris Haynes reported Monday that Paul will sign a one-year, $3.6 million contract with the Clippers, whom Paul played for between 2011-17.
Both Charania and Haynes reported that the 2025-26 season — Paul’s 21st season in the NBA — will likely be the 12-time All-Star’s last in the league.
Paul played with San Antonio Spurs on a 1-year, $10.9 million contract this past season.
Paul entered the offseason as an unrestricted free agent for the second summer in a row and one of the best available point guards available. In fact, after Fred VanVleet re-signed with the Houston Rockets, Paul was Yahoo Sports’ top-ranked free-agent point guard.
While he’s no longer a high-level scorer, Paul remains an effective floor general and distributor at 40 years old. And he’s coming off his healthiest season in years. Paul played in and started each of San Antonio’s 82 games last season.
Paul averaged a career-low 8.8 points per game in 2024-25. But he remained one of basketball’s best playmakers with averages of 7.4 assists and 1.6 turnovers per game. When called upon to shoot, he was efficient from long distance with a 37.7% success rate on 4.5 3-point attempts per game. And the six-time steals champion remained a factor on defense while averaging 1.3 steals per game.
In short, Paul may not be what he was at his peak, which is arguably the greatest pure point guard of his generation on both sides of the ball. But he remains an impact player and one of the league’s most respected veteran voices on and off the floor.
Paul was asked about his retirement timeline in a interview with Jemele Hill earlier this summer at the American Black Film Festival in Miami.
“I think it’s fair to say that, even though you are playing at a high level, you’re in the twilight of your NBA career,” Hill said. “So how much longer do you intend to play?”
“At the most, a year,” Paul said with a slight chuckle. “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 continued: “My granny, who watches every single game that I play every single night, those moments, I just don’t get to see her and hug her, along with all my uncles and aunts as much as I’d love to.”
Paul’s return to Los Angeles brings back memories of his “Lob City” days with the Clippers. Long an afterthought in the Western Conference, the franchise received a much-needed shot in the arm during the early 2010s, thanks to the high-flying Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, plus a dime-dishing Paul. Together, they united for an array of jaw-dropping alley-oop dunks as well as the franchise’s reintroduction to the playoffs.
The Clippers made the postseason each of Paul’s six seasons with the team, which was first coached by Vinny Del Negro before Doc Rivers took over in 2013. Prior to Paul’s arrival, the Clippers had made the playoffs just once in the previous 14 seasons. That said, they never made it past the Western Conference semifinals, despite a 3-1 series lead that round against the Houston Rockets during the 2014-15 season.
The era was littered with highlights, but it also included the Donald Sterling scandal; ownership, front office and head coaching changes; heartbreaking injuries and playoff face-plants. Individually, though, Paul was mostly at the top of his game, making five All-Star teams and All-NBA teams.
Paul will take another NBA championship swing with the Clippers this season. Los Angeles has won 50-plus games back-to-back years but has bowed out of the first round of the playoffs each time. Paul is the team’s latest veteran addition. The Clippers, still led by Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, have also brought aboard shooting guard Bradley Beal, power forward John Collins and center Brook Lopez this offseason.
In total, Paul has played for seven franchises. Even though an NBA title has escaped his résumé, he’s collected a laundry list of accomplishments, including 11 All-NBA selections and nine NBA All-Defensive Team nods.
Additionally, Paul ranks second all-time with 12,499 assists and 2,717 steals.
Paul started his career with the New Orleans Hornets, whom he played for from 2005-11. He has since played for the Clippers (2011-17), Rockets (2017-19), Oklahoma City Thunder (2019-20), Phoenix Suns (2020-23), Golden State Warriors (2023-24) and San Antonio Spurs (2024-25).
He’s averaged 17 points, 9.2 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 2 steals per game in his career.
Chris Paul has agreed to a deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, who noted that Paul had multiple suitors but opted for a Clippers reunion.
Longtime NBA insider Chris Haynes reported Monday that Paul will sign a one-year, $3.6 million contract with the Clippers, whom Paul played for between 2011-17.
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Both Charania and Haynes reported that the 2025-26 season — Paul’s 21st season in the NBA — will likely be the 12-time All-Star’s last in the league.
Paul played with San Antonio Spurs on a 1-year, $10.9 million contract this past season.
Paul entered the offseason as an unrestricted free agent for the second summer in a row and one of the best available point guards available. In fact, after Fred VanVleet re-signed with the Houston Rockets, Paul was Yahoo Sports’ top-ranked free-agent point guard.
While he’s no longer a high-level scorer, Paul remains an effective floor general and distributor at 40 years old. And he’s coming off his healthiest season in years. Paul played in and started each of San Antonio’s 82 games last season.
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Paul averaged a career-low 8.8 points per game in 2024-25. But he remained one of basketball’s best playmakers with averages of 7.4 assists and 1.6 turnovers per game. When called upon to shoot, he was efficient from long distance with a 37.7% success rate on 4.5 3-point attempts per game. And the six-time steals champion remained a factor on defense while averaging 1.3 steals per game.
In short, Paul may not be what he was at his peak, which is arguably the greatest pure point guard of his generation on both sides of the ball. But he remains an impact player and one of the league’s most respected veteran voices on and off the floor.
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Paul was asked about his retirement timeline in a interview with Jemele Hill earlier this summer at the American Black Film Festival in Miami.
“I think it’s fair to say that, even though you are playing at a high level, you’re in the twilight of your NBA career,” Hill said. “So how much longer do you intend to play?”
“At the most, a year,” Paul said with a slight chuckle. “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.”
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Paul continued: “My granny, who watches every single game that I play every single night, those moments, I just don’t get to see her and hug her, along with all my uncles and aunts as much as I’d love to.”
Paul’s return to Los Angeles brings back memories of his “Lob City” days with the Clippers. Long an afterthought in the Western Conference, the franchise received a much-needed shot in the arm during the early 2010s, thanks to the high-flying Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, plus a dime-dishing Paul. Together, they united for an array of jaw-dropping alley-oop dunks as well as the franchise’s reintroduction to the playoffs.
The Clippers made the postseason each of Paul’s six seasons with the team, which was first coached by Vinny Del Negro before Doc Rivers took over in 2013. Prior to Paul’s arrival, the Clippers had made the playoffs just once in the previous 14 seasons. That said, they never made it past the Western Conference semifinals, despite a 3-1 series lead that round against the Houston Rockets during the 2014-15 season.
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The era was littered with highlights, but it also included the Donald Sterling scandal; ownership, front office and head coaching changes; heartbreaking injuries and playoff face-plants. Individually, though, Paul was mostly at the top of his game, making five All-Star teams and All-NBA teams.
Paul will take another NBA championship swing with the Clippers this season. Los Angeles has won 50-plus games back-to-back years but has bowed out of the first round of the playoffs each time. Paul is the team’s latest veteran addition. The Clippers, still led by Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, have also brought aboard shooting guard Bradley Beal, power forward John Collins and center Brook Lopez this offseason.
In total, Paul has played for seven franchises. Even though an NBA title has escaped his résumé, he’s collected a laundry list of accomplishments, including 11 All-NBA selections and nine NBA All-Defensive Team nods.
Additionally, Paul ranks second all-time with 12,499 assists and 2,717 steals.
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Paul started his career with the New Orleans Hornets, whom he played for from 2005-11. He has since played for the Clippers (2011-17), Rockets (2017-19), Oklahoma City Thunder (2019-20), Phoenix Suns (2020-23), Golden State Warriors (2023-24) and San Antonio Spurs (2024-25).
He’s averaged 17 points, 9.2 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 2 steals per game in his career.
