Chris Paul is not expected to return to the San Antonio Spurs for his 21st season in the NBA. The next steps for the veteran point guard remain unclear, but he addressed the situation during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show on Thursday.
Paul, who just recently turned 40, acknowledged one key component of his decision as to where he’ll play next, or if he’ll continue playing at all. The 12-time All-Star told McAfee that he’s not been living with his family for the past six seasons. His family, which includes a 16-year-old son and a 12-year-old daughter, reside in Los Angeles, and it’s not easy for him to be without them.
“It’s with my family more than anything… I talk to my family about it. My son just turned 16, my daughter is 12. The past six seasons I’ve lived without them… I’ve been away from them for the last six years, so it’s a little different,” Paul said when asked about his future in the league and when he could potentially call it a career.
“I don’t think I want to play for a while while. I’m being honest with you, I want to be Dad. I still love to play, I was up in the gym at 6 a.m. this morning… it’s crazy. My daughter actually hoops now. Before I flew out here, I was in the gym with her for 20 minutes… It was priceless. You don’t get that time back,” Paul said. “But I want to hoop, because I love to hoop, but at the same time I do want to be Dad.”
Paul has spent the last six seasons playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors and the Spurs. He hasn’t played for a team in L.A. since his tenure with the Clippers ended in 2017. He made clear that spending so much time away from his family has taken a toll on him.
A reunion with the Clippers, or perhaps joining the Lakers could be viable options for Paul as he seeks to be closer to his family, but whether there’s a fit for him with those teams remains to be seen.
