29 May, 2017
Though the Spurs are now strapped for cap space, the Clippers view them as a legitimate threat to sign away the nine-time All-Star, according to the report.
Both the Clippers and Spurs are reportedly taking seriously the idea that Chris Paul could sign with San Antonio this summer.
Adding Paul probably wouldn't make the Spurs title favorites, but it would definitely elevate San Antonio to status as the NBA's third "super-team", within easy striking distance of the Warriors and Cavaliers.
If the Spurs sign Paul, they'd have two of the top 10 player in the National Basketball Association in Paul and Kawhi Leonard, plus 5-time All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge and one of the greatest coaches of all-time in Gregg Popovich.
The Spurs' cap picture would look decidedly more favorable if former All-Star big man Pau Gasol decides to decline his $16.2 million player option for next season.
While the Spurs tout an abundance of playoff success in comparison to the Clippers, they can't offer Paul, 32, the same type of money he would earn in Los Angeles. By pretty much any criteria you can come up with, Paul is the best ever player to never reach even the NBA's penultimate round, a designation he can't be anxious to hold onto. That would be more money than he could receive from any other franchise during free agency. It's hard for an aging point guard to make that kind of money, so this free agency period might yield the final maximum contract for Paul.
The Spurs' max offer to Paul projects to be $152 million over four years, but they'd need major moves to clear enough cap room to do that. The Western Conference Semifinals is as far as the Clippers have advanced in the six seasons with Paul and Griffin on the team. They would have to just tear up that entire payroll.
The front office of the LA Clippers is going to do everything it can to maintain a competitive roster, possibly even trying to pull off a Carmelo Anthony trade in order to keep players interested in staying put. With Parker facing an expected lengthy rehab process, and free agent backup point guard Patty Mills also coming out of contract, the time seems right for a changing of the guard in the backcourt.
