The San Antonio Spurs brought Chris Paul in via free agency with the express intention of making Victor Wembanyama’s life easier on offense. Paul may no longer be the player he once was, but court vision, basketball IQ, and passing ability never go away with age. Even in his 20th season, Paul can still dish the rock with the best of them, and despite the Spurs’ 120-109 season-opening loss to the Dallas Mavericks, Paul did show that he still has some gas left in the tank, dropping eight assists on the night.
And in so doing, Paul made some old-man NBA history that would make his banana boat pal LeBron James proud. By putting up eight assists to begin his 20th season in the NBA, the Spurs veteran tied James for the most assists in a single night for a player beginning their 20th campaign in the league, as per Spurs PR Jordan Howenstine.
It’s a marvel that Paul has lasted in the NBA for this long. It speaks volumes to how great he was at his peak that even at his older and declined state, he still provides plenty of value for his teams, including the Spurs. His leadership has only gotten more useful the more experienced he has become, even though it did not result in a win for the Spurs in his official debut for the team.
There aren’t too many players who have lasted 20+ seasons in the NBA. Among the players who have suited up in at least 20 NBA campaigns, Paul is the smallest, as he stands at a relatively measly 6’0″, making it a miracle since small guards are more prone to breaking down physically earlier in their careers due to the high athletic barrier of entry at the position as well as the intense demands playing the one entails.
Chris Paul and the Spurs run out of gas against the Mavericks
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For much of opening night, Chris Paul and the Spurs were keeping up with Luka Doncic and the Mavericks. They did a great job in frustrating the Mavericks in the first half, with Doncic unable to get into a rhythm. The second half, however, was a different story. The Mavs locked in and Doncic got into a groove, and the three-pointers soon rained down in favor of Dallas.
Paul did his part in setting the table for his teammates, and he could have had more dimes had they made more shots. But it was obvious how limited Paul is these days, even when compared to just a few seasons ago. His scoring game is close to non-existent these days. He doesn’t get much lift on his jumpshot anymore, forcing him into more difficult shots than ever. Against the Mavs, Paul shot just 1-6 from the field (1-4 from three), although that should improve moving forward.
Regardless, Paul was brought in to impart his veteran knowhow to youngsters such as Tre Jones and Stephon Castle. Any contributions from him on the scoring column will just be a bonus.