Chris Paul did not commit to retiring after the 2025-26 season during his official reintroduction with the LA Clippers on Monday. The 40-year-old point guard signed a one-year, $3.6 million veteran minimum contract after eight years away from the franchise.
When addressing nearly 1,000 fans at Intuit Dome, Paul expressed his approach to the upcoming season without finalizing future plans.
“I am approaching [the season] with a lot of excitement, not necessarily what’s next. I’m just trying to be in it.”
Paul spent his first six NBA seasons with the Clippers from 2011-2017, earning five All-Star selections and becoming the franchise’s all-time assists leader. He was traded to the Houston Rockets in 2017 and has since played for five different teams.
The future Hall of Famer cited family as his primary motivation for returning to Los Angeles. His wife Jada and children remained in LA while he played elsewhere over the past eight years.
“It was a no-brainer. If I’m really honest, I wanted to get back and play here by any means necessary,” said Paul.
Paul maintained communication with owner Steve Ballmer through his former role as players’ union president. He reached out to Ballmer last summer for a personal tour of the new Intuit Dome before finalizing his return.
Paul averaged 8.8 points and 7.4 assists in 82 games for San Antonio last season. The Clippers’ deep backcourt featuring James Harden, Bradley Beal, and Bogdan Bogdanovic will likely limit his minutes.
“My role on this team is obviously different than it’s been the past 20 years, being in the NBA, 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 ranks second all-time in assists and steals behind John Stockton. The 21-year veteran has never won an NBA championship despite reaching the 2021 Finals with the Phoenix Suns.
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July 28, 2025 | 10:31 pm
