The Los Angeles Clippers' wish of reuniting with Chris Paul was granted on Monday when ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported that the future Hall of Famer agreed to a deal to return to Southern California. Paul will spend what Charania said will "likely" be his final NBA season in Los Angeles.
The move is a feel-good moment for Paul, the organization, and its fans, but the question is, how much does it really move the needle? Paul turned 40 years old in May, so he's not the player he was in LA from 2011 to 2017, but he still has value. He started all 82 games for the Spurs this past season, after all.
What is there to worry about?
The future. There is no guarantee that Paul will play all 82 games again next season. There is no guarantee that as a team, the Clippers will spend the majority of next season healthy. There are too many question marks on their roster because of their veteran players.
Can Kawhi stay healthy? What about Harden? Bradley Beal? Brook Lopez? CP3? The latter two don't have lengthy injury histories, but their age naturally raises concerns about their status.
Clippers aren't automatically contenders after their offseason moves
Los Angeles' roster is comprised of good players, but those players are no longer in their primes. A lot of them are far from it. Paul also fits that description.
If the 2025-26 season is his last, it'll be his final chance to win a title. Signing with the Clippers over the Suns gives Paul a better opportunity to raise a trophy, but that doesn't mean Los Angeles vaulted up the Western Conference offseason standings this summer.
The Clippers made several solid signings, but the result won't play in their favor next season. LA might've won a title in the mid-2010s if its roster looked like what it does now. Comprising a team of aging stars doesn't equal winning a championship, especially not when you play in the best conference in the league.
Los Angeles' starpower doesn't compare to what Oklahoma City, Denver, or Houston has. Those three teams are, by far, the top three in the West (and possibly, the entire league). That isn't to say that a team like the Clippers won't pose a threat to those squads, but it won't be enough to make it out of the West.
If only it were 2015.