Despite the raving success of the veteran "point-god" Chris Paul in San Antonio this past season, all signs point to his departure from the Alamo City.
NBA Insider Marc Stein reports, “Anticipation is building that Paul could be on the move again this offseason even though his time as a Spur as a mentor to Victor Wembanyama and a young team overall was an unabashed success.”
Why would Chris Paul leave?
Averaging 8.8 points and a terrific 7.4 assists, the Spurs will dearly miss his presence off the bench. Paul ran the unit exquisitely and used his 20 years of NBA experience to mentor and teach the young Spurs. This will make him a high-value target for contenders desperately needing backcourt help.
The news is disappointing to hear, but understandable from Paul's camp. When Paul initially arrived in San Antonio, there was no Fox, the soon-to-be Rookie of the Year had not taken off, and the Spurs had not lucked into the second overall pick. All those events have seized Paul's playing time. He is not ready to give it up; he wants to play.
Instead of resigning, Paul will look outward for a destination that will welcome his on-court talents and give him the playing time he desires. One such destination is the Spurs' in-state rival, the Dallas Mavericks.
While it hurts to lose the savvy floor general after just one season, the writing was on the wall. With Harper on deck, there is no space for him to thrive in the minutes he deserves.
Best of luck to you, CP.
What do the Spurs do now?
Now that the picture has become clearer and we understand that Paul is gone, San Antonio has to get ahead of the pack in searching for his replacement. With a full slate of offseason festivities ahead, there are numerous ways to go about filling the void.
If the Spurs decide to stay put with their draft picks and commit towards a youth movement, Spurs general manager Brian Wright can use the 14th pick to double-dip at the point guard position. In this proposition, the Spurs will still pick Dylan Harper, then select one of many talented, NBA-ready guards available at 14.
Players like BYU's pinpoint passer Egor Demin and Illinois' stat stuffer Kasparas Jakucionis would be excellent fill-in replacements for Paul. Neither player will need to start for the Spurs, and with their top-of-the-class playmaking abilities, they could adequately run the bench unit.
On the trade market, a few names stand out as perfect stand-ins for Paul. The first is two-time NBA champion Jrue Holiday. His current team, the Boston Celtics, is on the brink of an explosion, and the Spurs can take advantage of that. While Holiday comes at a pricey tag, he will bring the leadership that Paul had and excellent perimeter defense.
Seeking a veteran, players such as Utah's Jordan Clarkson and Chicago's Lonzo Ball would make for premium replacements. With numerous contracts to trade, the Spurs' money should not be an issue. Wright needs to inquire about every available option that can take the place of Paul.
Looking towards free agency, there is a bevy of point guards looking for their next home. Houston's Fred VanVleet, Detroit's Dennis Schroder, and Washington's Malcolm Brogdon all come to mind as suitable replacements.
No matter what path Wright chooses, the Spurs must find their newest backup point guard. As we have seen in this year's landscape of conference finals teams, depth has never been more important. If the Spurs want to compete soon, this role can not be left vacant.