Chris Paul drops major retirement update amid impressive Spurs stint
Chris Paul might have moved into second place on the NBA's all-time assist ladder, however, it sounds like the Point God might not be around for much longer. During a sitdown interview with San Antonio Spurs legend Tony Parker this week, Paul spoke about his career in the midst of Year 20.
While he said that he's still trying to feel things out, and his play has indicated that his game hasn't regressed much, Paul said that within the next two years, he may decide to ride off into the sunset.
Although he still loves to play basketball and has shown that he can still compete at a high level, a tug-of-war battle is raging within the future Hall of Famer. He said Thursday:
"Maybe a year or two. I'm still trying to feel it out. I think the hardest part is—like I love this, like practice today, I love hooping, I love all of that. The hardest part is when I get home and I have to watch my kids' games on the iPad or whatnot, so that's the tug of war right now."
Currently, Chris Paul's numbers (10.2 points, 8.5 assists and 1.4 steals) are up from last season, when he came off the bench for the Golden State Warriors. However, the San Antonio Spurs have struggled to stay competitive in a stacked Western Conference. Currently, the team is sitting in 11th place with a 12-12 record, one game outside of eighth place.
"Probably one of the toughest years for me" - Chris Paul reflects on season spent coming off the bench in Golden State
When the Golden State Warriors acquired Chris Paul heading into the 2023-24 season, there were immediate questions about how he would fit given the Steph Curry-Klay Thompson backcourt duo.
The result was that Paul wound up coming off the bench for the majority of the season, starting in just 18 games, the fewest of his career, while averaging 26.4 minutes per game.
Given his lack of usage compared to years past, his numbers showed regression. When looking back, the famed point guard called the season one of the toughest of his career. With two kids at home, the season gave him a unique perspective on the balance between his career and family life:
"Last year was probably one of the toughest years for me. I just love to hoop. I wanna play. If I’m gonna sacrifice my family and be away from them, then I at least need to be playing."
Although he's now averaging 28.9 minutes per game, up from his 26.4 mpg average last season, it sounds like Chris Paul is still torn when it comes to his career.
Given that this is the final year of his contract, how things play out during free agency this summer could give fans some idea of how long he plans to continue playing.