Chris Paul: Victor Wembanyama's Rookie 'Boon' and Potential Spurs 'Organizer'
Sometimes, free agent targets are nothing more than fever dreams for NBA teams.
Cap space, expected fit and even past history can all be turn-off factors for front offices when it comes to recruiting some of the league's stars, but they can just as easily make or break the possibility at all.
But what if a player is on the right side of those factors?
That changes things entirely. And for the San Antonio Spurs, a player who fits the bill beside incoming No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama could exactly what they need for next season.
Luckily for them, Chris Paul is looking to be changing teams this summer, either through a trade or free agency, and the Spurs could be a top landing spot for him.
Paul was rumored to have been waived on Wednesday of last week, but further reports suggested that Phoenix hadn't completely gone through with its dismissal of the point guard, considering multiple options instead.
No matter how the story was spun, however, the writing was already on the wall, and continues to point towards one conclusion for the 'Point God in Phoenix' era:
Paul will not be returning to the Suns.
That puts the Spurs in a prime position to make a bid for the veteran, armed with a large amount of cap space in the event that they do entice him to join their upward-trending effort.
But signing him would be just the formal part of it for San Antonio, with the second being how it could effectively use him alongside Wembanyama.
"You look at the Spurs roster, and you see a bunch of wings and Victor Wembanyama," KENS5 Reporter Tom Petrini said of Paul's basketball fit with the Spurs. "Maybe one of the greatest point guards in the history of the game could help get everything organized and be a boon to Victor in his rookie season.
"It's hard to not see what the potential of that fit is here in San Antonio."
The pairing between the 7-4 center and the 6-0 point guard would certainly propel the Spurs further into contention, especially with Paul's court vision and floor-general abilities. His passing game would help move the ball even more, which could open up the Spurs' shooters behind the arc even more.
Either way, the Spurs will be in consideration should Paul seek another NBA team to call home for likely the last part of his career. And if he ends up as the leader of a young San Antonio squad, coach Gregg Popovich would have no issues with that.
Then again, neither should Spurs fans ... if they can look past the long-standing Western Conference rivalry he's been apart of through the years.
“If a young player can understand what Chris Paul can give them, it’s a huge boon to his career," Popovich said. "Chris is an alpha. He’s a natural leader. He takes no prisoners. He suffers no fools. He’s there to win.”
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