Former Thunder Player No. 1) Chris Paul
The one-time Thunder has found his league-wide status on the decline over the last couple of seasons, as he went from a perennial MVP candidate and All-Star participant to, last season, losing his role within a team's starting lineup while serving as a member of the Golden State Warriors.
Now, ahead of what will be his 20 season in the association, following his lackluster 2023-24 showing, there's some serious fear over whether the 39-year-old has enough gas left in his tank to both make a significant impact on a team alone while also possessing the ability to make it through an entire 82-game stretch unscathed.
While it's hard to wipe away any concerns that relate to potential injuries and health-related ailments, as such things are always difficult to project, regarding the effect he will have on this young and talented San Antonio Spurs team, it truly could prove to be reminiscent to his one-and-done stint with OKC back in 2019-20.
Starting the night off with a SLAM
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 31, 2023
📺 @NBCSAuthentic pic.twitter.com/WSwto1hTbF
Despite being limited to just 58 games played, 40 of which were with him coming off the pine, when utilized in his more traditional role as a focal point, and primary floor general the veteran proved he's still capable of contributing at an effective level.
During his 18 starts on the year, Paul displayed his trademark set-up skills, as he dished out 7.3 dimes on average and boasted an impressive 127 offensive rating while also adding on 11.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.4 steals on 46.2 percent shooting from the floor and 44.2 percent shooting from deep.
While these numbers may be far from prime CP3 productivity, they were put up sporadically due to his ever-changing role within coach Steve Kerr's rotation.
Now on a Spurs team helmed by the legendary Gregg Popovich and spearheaded by the rising superstar big Victor Wembanyama, it should be expected that Paul will be tasked with leading the charge as the primary ball handler and set-up artist to help get the reigning Rookie of the Year, as well as his talented young supporting cast consisting of Devin Vassell and Stephon Castle, better looks at scoring opportunities while receiving vital veteran leadership along the way.
Assuming he stays relatively healthy this coming year, everyone should expect the Point God to flourish out in San Antonio.