Chris Paul joining Spurs makes much bigger statement to NBA than you'd think

One of the biggest developments of the San Antonio Spurs' offseason came on Sunday evening, when it was announced that Chris Paul would be inking a one-year, $11 million contract to join the Spurs after being waived by the Warriors.

The Spurs had been looking for a more high-level ball-handler to optimize their strategy of feeding Victor Wembanyama, and they certainly found the correct man for the job. Chris Paul is widely regarded as one of the greatest point guards, playmakers and assist-getters of all-time. Paul holds the third-most assists in NBA history with 11,894 to his name over the course of his career.

Getting CP3 as a teammate to pair up with an incredible talent like Wembanyama is nothing short of a dream scenario, even at this point in Paul's career. He may be 39 years old and one of the oldest players in the association, but Chris still possesses some of the best ball skills of any player in the league, and his cerebral understanding of basketball is second to none.

Paul makes this unexpected move after a down year with Golden State where it became clear he is not quite the player he used to be. Now, he will get to bring his 19 years of professional experience alongside one of the most exciting young talents in the league with legitimate All-NBA potential. However, the ways in which Chris will elevate Wemby's game is not even the most significant part of this signing.

Chris Paul sacrificed winning a championship to mentor Wemby

Being in the latter stages of his career and still without an NBA championship to his name, it would have been easy for Chris Paul to have signed with a team like the Celtics in an effort to simply ring chase. He could have had a comfortable year in a place like Boston, while also getting a solid chance at his first championship ring.

But instead, with how much true love for the game of basketball he has, Paul opted to take on a mentorship role with the Spurs instead of signing with a contender. We know that San Antonio will be far away from winning a title in the upcoming season. So for all intents and purposes, Chris sacrificed the opportunity to cut corners to a championship and instead chose the more noble route.

Now, CP3 will have the opportunity to impress valuable knowledge and lessons upon Victor that may not result in the Spurs winning a title next season, but will in all likelihood leave a lasting mark on him years down the road. It is a move that all basketball purists should be thrilled to see.

From here, there is the chance that Paul's move will spur on other veterans to do the same in the future. The more older players are willing to stick around purely for the sake of helping young budding stars in the NBA, the better a place this league will be in.