Heartbreaking NBA Finals loss should make Spurs regret losing Chris Paul

It's hard to find something to complain about these days when it comes to the Spurs. The team is fresh off an NBA Finals appearance after a years-long rebuild, and they bolstered their roster even more this summer. But there's one thing I can't seem to get over: if they were able to retain Chris Paul last summer, they could very well be the defending champions.

Paul joined the Spurs in the summer of 2024 on a one-year, $11M deal, providing them with some maturity and experience in the backcourt. His playmaking chops helped Wemby develop into an All-Star in his second season. But after his contract finished, he signed with the Los Angeles Clippers before retiring in February 2026.

If the Spurs had worked out a deal to bring Paul back, their performance in the Finals could have been drastically better. Sure, his days of being the NBA's premier pure point guard would have been well behind him, but he still had enough in the tank to contribute to a contender like San Antonio.

The Spurs needed a better offensive orchestrator in the Finals

We all remember Game 4 of this year's NBA Finals series. You know, that infamous Knicks comeback that left San Antonio fans devastated after the last buzzer sounded. The Spurs had a lot of issues that night, but one of the most noticeable was how much they struggled to organize their offense late in the fourth quarter.

That's when I realized how much they missed Chris Paul. Sure, they weren't going to get that version of him that dominated throughout the 2010s. Still, his decision-making and ability to break down defenses would've helped San Antonio execute their offense much better in late stretches.

As players age, they tend to lose key aspects of their game. Maybe they're no longer as athletic or quick as they once were. But that mental sharpness never goes away. As a matter of fact, players can actually become more tactical as they age, using their experience to keep their team in check.

That could've been the value Chris Paul gave to the Spurs if he were still on the roster. He has a knack for using his savviness to aid his young supporting castmates. His time in Phoenix was proof of that, as he took them out of a rebuilding era into an NBA Finals appearance in 2021.

What this tells the Spurs' guards

Although it would've been nice for the Spurs to hold on to Chris Paul, we can't go back and change the past. But he is the blueprint for what San Antonio needs from their current fleet of guards.

As great as Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, and De'Aaron Fox are, it's very obvious that they each have a way to go when it comes to orchestrating an offense on a championship level. Whether it's shot selection or ball control, there are still things they have to sharpen up on to turn their title hopes into a reality next season.

But Spurs fans should trust them to make those improvements. This is a team filled with players who can learn on the fly, so don't be surprised if they each offer a more mature approach on offense next season.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow