As the Phoenix Suns prepare to release All-Star point guard Chris Paul, the future Hall of Famer faces a difficult decision entering his age-38 season. Heading into the final chapter of his NBA career, Paul’s next team will potentially be his last and the decision he makes will impact his life and reputation.
Paul is widely recognized as one of the best point guards in NBA history. A 12-time All-Star selection with 11 All-NBA selections and the third-most assists in NBA history, his resume makes him one of the best players of his era.
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However, the absence of a championship ring and one NBA Finals appearance in 18 years hangs over his reputation. He’s one of the greatest players to never win a championship, leading to a relentless pursuit to erase the one blemish on his resume. Unsurprisingly, it’s expected to have a significant influence on his next decision.
According to Chris Haynes, Paul plans to play for several more years and his focus when choosing his next team is on aligning himself with a championship contender.
Phoenix acquired Paul to both serve as a mentor for a young team and to help them take the next step as a championship contender. The point guard’s positive influence on young athletes, especially fellow guards, has helped build his great reputation and led to some believing he could play that role for a team like the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets or Chicago Bulls.
- Chris Paul career stats: 21,755 points, 11,501 assists, 2,544 steals
While Paul is comfortable offering mentorship to young players and providing his peers with guidance, that’s not his ultimate goal. As he even recently admitted, the NBA’s ring culture has a significant influence that goes beyond how it directly impacts him personally.
Influence of NBA’s ring culture on Chris Paul’s decision
During an appearance on The Pivot Podcast, Paul touched on the impact not having a championship has had on his reputation. Specifically, how fans’ criticizing him for it has now led to his daughter being teased for it.
“My daughter is the sweetest soul you will ever meet in your life, right? But she is at that age now where in school, kids talk crazy to her. She had a little boy at school that said some reckless stuff to her like: ‘Your daddy ain’t never gonna win no championship’ right?”
Chris Paul on his daughter being teased over him not having an NBA championship
Above all else, Paul cares most about his family and his revelation to The Pivot Podcast shows the impact ring culture has on those closest to him. The 38-year-old’s own desire to finally win a ring is strong in its own right, but there is also an internal motivation to eliminate something that is impacting his family’s day-to-day lives.
It highlights two important things for the NBA moving forward. First, Paul will likely prioritize teams like the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Clippers because they provide him with the best opportunity to win a championship.
Second, the NBA’s ring culture is becoming a bigger issue. While winning a championship remains the goal of every franchise, coach and player, the absence of a ring doesn’t define them. As Damian Lilalrd said on JJ Redick’s podcast, ring culture tries to diminish incredible resumes and it leads to criticisms that are then used to diminish players and those closest to them.
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As Paul contemplates what might be the final step in his NBA career, competing for a championship and thinking about his family will be at the forefront of his decision-making process.