Our player preview series for the 2026 Clippers continues with Chris Paul, the Clippers’ once-superstar who has returned to the franchise for his swan song.
Basic Information
Height: 6’0
Weight: 175 pounds
Position: Point Guard
Age: 40
Years in NBA: 20
Regular Season Stats: 8.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.6 turnovers in 28.0 minutes per game across 82 games played (all starts) on 42.7/37.7/92.4 shooting splits (4.5 3PA, 1.1 FTA) with 58% TS
Contract Status: Signed a one-year veteran’s minimum
Expectations
When Chris Paul first signed with the Clippers back in late July, it seemed that he might have been signing up for a reunion based more on convenience, nostalgia, and a chance at winning rather than playing time. As the Clippers have headed into training camp, however, it seems quite clear that Chris Paul is in the team’s plans for their rotation. Whether he’s the 11th man who doesn’t play every game or just the bog-standard backup point guard behind James Harden that plays 12-16 minutes per game, I’d expect Chris to have a real role on this team and not just be a locker room leader that gets dusted off now and then. When Chris does play, we can expect a steady hand at the reins on offense, vocal leadership on both sides of the ball, and peskiness all over. He’s not the Point God that Clippers’ fans remember from the Lob City days, but Chris was still a very effective NBA player last year with San Antonio and he should be at least a rotation-level guy this year.
Strengths
Chris Paul is second in NBA history in assists. That says more about the Point God’s passing and playmaking abilities than I can with words, so I won’t expand too much. Chris Paul is a brilliant passer who can make every read, knows every defense, and gets teammates the ball before anyone else knows they are open. There have been flashier passers, and there are larger players who can see over defenses easier and therefore make some passes that Chris Paul can’t. But truly better passers? That list is non-existent. When Chris Paul is on the court, he will get assists, and teammates will get the ball right when and where they like it.
Chris Paul combines his passing brilliance with a remarkably sure-handed approach to the ball, boasting a 9.2 assist to 2.3 turnover average (exactly 4:1) across his career. Considering a 3:1 average is quite good, that 4:1 ratio indicates just how insane Chris’s ability is to score, pass, and dribble the ball as much as he has in his career while turning the ball over as little as he has. There are times when Chris might be a bit too conservative and not make passes he could make for fear of turning the ball over, but turnovers are one of the deadliest sins in basketball, and Chris’ unique aptitude for limiting turnovers has been a huge reason for his ability to lift teams on offense throughout his career.
Finally, while he’s no Steph Curry, Chris Paul has been a good three-point shooter on medium-level volume for the entire second half of his career. Barring a one-season outlier in 2022, Chris has made at least 35.8% of his threes in each season since 2014 while attempting at least 3.4 per game. He’s a reliable shooter off the catch when playing off the ball, and is still capable of punishing drop defenses that sag too far off him when he’s running pick and rolls. Chris sadly does not get to his elbow jumper nearly as much as he did in his prime, when it was one of the deadliest weapons in the NBA, but when he does get that shot off it remains as pure as ever.
Weaknesses
Chris Paul’s biggest weakness at this point of his career is quite simple: for a guy who is still a primary ballhandler, he’s not really capable of consistently breaking down the defense. CP’s burst was already starting to go when he was on the Clippers a decade ago, and his final bit of quickness was exhausted at some point during his stint on the Suns. In 2025, Chris just can’t get to the rim much, and is almost entirely a jump shooter as a scorer. That inability to get to the rim also makes his deadly passing much more limited than it used to be. As a caretaker and set-up man, Chris remains fantastic. As a true creator or on-ball scorer, you might be in trouble if you rely on him too much.
Chris’s second major flaw is more of a playoff-only matter. Chris is one of the smartest basketball players of all time, and those preternatural instincts combined with his quick hands make him a plus defender in the regular season. However, there’s no denying his slow feet on the perimeter at this stage – or his height disadvantage against larger players. Thus, while he will be helpful on defense for the Clippers for much of the season, there are reasons to worry about him in the postseason when teams can really target him.
Summary
Chris Paul’s return to the Clippers is, to me, one of the cooler reunions that has happened in the NBA in recent years, especially since it seems quite likely this is his last season in the NBA. How much of an impact Chris Paul makes on this team remains to be seen. I could absolutely see a scenario where he fades in his 21st season and is more of a fringe piece, but I could also imagine a scenario where James Harden takes an injury and CP helps keeps the Clippers afloat as the interim starter. Hopefully he’s still a solid rotation piece and has some fun moments at the very minimum. I think he will, and that the games where he stands out at home will be truly memorable for the fanbase.