Top 5 Destinations for Chris Paul to End NBA Career After Shocking Clippers Move

Chris Paul is one of the best players in Los Angeles Clippers history, but his first stint with the team went much more smoothly than the second time. The greatest point guard of all time signed with the team in the offseason in what was supposed to be a touching retirement sendoff. Paul retires at the end of the seasonso he should have competed for another championship with the team in which he became famous.

instead, Los Angeles parting ways with Paul a little more than a quarter of the season. Pavle was informed overnight on December 3 that The Clippers are sending him homeand will no longer participate in games for the franchise. Now, the Clippers will pursue a trade or resort to a buyout or waiver for Paul.

The Wake Forest guard certainly doesn’t want to end his retirement tour like this, and it appears he still has some left in the tank. So, check out the gallery to see the top five destinations for Paul to end his career.

5. The two best passers ever team up

Nikola Jokić established himself as the best player in the NBAmainly because he puts up staggering assist numbers every night and is clearly the best passer in NBA history. The three-time Denver Nuggets MVP leads the NBA with 11.1 assists per game. Meanwhile, Pavle clearly knows how to make things easier in his own right, like him takes second place in all-time assists with 12,552.

If Paul were still in his prime, there might not be enough offensive moves for him to work on a team centered around Jokic. Still, he’s had some success as a backup point guard in recent years, and that’s probably Denver’s biggest weakness.

Jamal Murray and Jaylen Pickett are the only true point guards on the team. Murray just finished the game with 52 points it was one of the most efficient performances in NBA history, but he’s more of a scoring guard than a true point guard. Pickett can be enough in limited minutes, but it’s best if the team doesn’t rely on him.

Of course, Jokic handles a lot of the typical point guard duties, but the lack of depth at the position has forced Bruce Brown into the position for a while. Brown is better at cutting and hitting catch-and-shoot threes as a shooting guard or small forward. Paul could come in and play about 15 minutes per game as a stabilizer for a bench that, while improved this year, usually struggles a lot when Jokic isn’t on the floor.

4. The reunion that was supposed to happen

A reunion between Paul and the Clippers made sense in the offseason, but now it’s clear a different homecoming should have happened. Paul was drafted in 2005 by the New Orleans Hornets. There, he became an MVP candidate and an ever-competitive force that fans loved/hated.

Since the Clippers thing didn’t work out, Paul is supposed to return to New Orleans to play for the Pelicans. New Orleans is struggling, but they have no incentive to lose because they are they traded their 2026 first-round pick unprotected for Derrick Quinn. Paul would have a chance to finish his career as a hero for the team that started it all if he can help the Pelicans win some games and minimize the damage of where that pick falls in the draft.

The Pelicans weren’t going to help Paul chase, but fans saw him thrive in a role as a mentor to a young team last year when he played for the San Antonio Spurs. Perhaps Paul could provide similar leadership and help move his first franchise in the right direction before he rides off into the sunset. It would be a touching, complete way to end his career after his Clippers tenure ended on a less than positive note.

3. Chris Paul could be a turnaround for the Mavericks for Kyrie Irving

The Dallas Mavericks were expected to improve this year, despite the fact that Kyrie Irving will be missed most or all with a torn ACL. Instead, the team has one of the worst records in the Western Conference. Anthony Davis’ inability to get healthy plays a big part in their struggles, but Irving’s absence has been more damaging than many expected.

D’Angelo Russell has proven once again that he is simply too short as an option at the point guard spot. The team has very little depth at point guard, other than Brandon Williams and Ryan Nembhardt as the other two options. Williams is a solid backup option, but far from great, and Nembhard only recently appeared on the scene.

The team has too much frontcourt depth compared to the backcourt, and now the Mavericks are in danger of blowing the whole thing. It has already been reported that they are interest in selling Davisbut bringing in Paul might help right the ship. Paul is one of the NBA’s longest-tenured players ever, and has plenty of experience building teams up the floor. If the Mavericks think Irving will return this year, Paul could help sustain the team until he arrives.

2. The last part of the Banana Boat falls into place

Paul, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade form a friendship known as the Banana Boat Four. Of course, James is the face of that group, because he is one of himself the best players in NBA history. Only James and Paul remain in the league, as Anthony and Wade have long since retired.

James has played with Anthony and Wade before, and Paul has played with Anthony, but Paul and James have never shared the court as teammates. James has a lot of influence in the league, so if Paul told him he wanted to finally turn the friendship into a tandem on the court, the Los Angeles Lakers would do it.

With James, Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic demanding so many touches, maybe Paul wouldn’t be the best on the court in Los Angeles. The Lakers, however, have long lacked depth, and Paul could certainly help whenever needed. He’s 40 years old and could be just fine without a big rotation role.

1. Chris Paul solves the Timberwolves’ point guard problem

The Minnesota Timberwolves advanced to the Western Conference Finals. However, a lack of fullback depth is holding them back. Mike Conley is far from his prime and Rob Dillingham has yet to develop into a reliable option. The Timberwolves are so close to contention, but they need a little help.

Paul could provide the team with much-needed point guard minutes, and in return would help players like Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels. The Timberwolves would allow the point guard to pursue the championship ring that has eluded him throughout his career.

Paul with the Timberwolves seems like an unlikely pairing for a retirement tour, but the two would form a truly symbiotic relationship, making this Paul’s best destination in his final season.