The year is 2011. LeBron James has just joined the Miami Heat for his first season and Chris Paul just tried to go team up with Kobe Bryant on the Los Angeles Lakers. However, David Stern crushed his hopes and dreams by vetoing the trade, and a few days later, Paul gets shipped to the wrong Los Angeles team, that is the Los Angeles Clippers.
Here Paul would be joining former number-one overall pick Blake Griffin and star center Deandre Jordan. Through these events, the famous ‘Lob City’ Clippers were born.
Wizards “are likely to reroute” Chris Paul in a trade and the Clippers are expected to pursue a reunion, per B/R’s @ChrisBHaynes pic.twitter.com/zDAUq0byvB
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 18, 2023
If Paul is heading back, he is entering a far different situation than the one he met in 2011. When he first joined, he was the leader of the squad with Blake Griffin and Deandre Jordan as the secondary stars.
Now he is entering as the veteran point guard whose sole job is to facilitate for the real stars, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. He also would have to share his starting spot with his close friend Russel Westbrook, however, we expect Paul to get the nod over Westbrook due to his performance last season.
Is Chris Paul a replacement for Russell Westbrook?
Russel Westbrook will be hitting unrestricted free agency this summer. Although he had a decent season with the Clippers there’s no denying that it wasn’t the type of play they need from a championship-caliber point guard. Unlike Westbrook, Chris Paul does fit the bill. He is a born leader and most importantly a pass-first player, which is needed when playing on a team with generational scorers like Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. He could also be the veteran presence needed in the locker room for the younger Clippers players.
The Clippers could still re-sign Russell Westbrook and acquire Chris Paul, per @LawMurrayTheNU
“The Clippers would not be shutting the door on Westbrook even if they could acquire Paul, league sources not authorized to speak publicly tell The Athletic.”
(Via @TheAthletic… pic.twitter.com/8xLoGDf0Wh
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) June 19, 2023
However, the reports point to the Clippers wanting to resign Westbrook on a minimum deal to play backup to Paul. In reality, the need for a championship is equal for both Paul and Russel and they reach the culmination of their playing careers. It seems the Clippers prefer to have an option off of the bench that could come in and contribute some energy and scoring in the case that Paul is injured or not playing at his best.
Chris Paul means a lot to the LA Clippers franchise, considering that he and Blake Griffin put them on the map. They have since moved on but they still want to pay their due respect to one of the greatest players to ever play for their franchise. Whether this is Paul’s last season in the NBA or not, the Clippers want to see him retire in their jersey and they will likely even be retiring his number into the rafters after it is all said and done.