SAN ANTONIO – The NBA free agency is still a month away but the hottest rumor that’s been circulating around the league is the idea of Chris Paul joining forces with the San Antonio Spurs.
ESPN NBA insider Marc Stein reported early Friday morning that the nine-time All-Star point guard intends to give the Spurs “serious consideration in free agency this summer.”
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In the report, the Spurs are considered a lock to get a face-to-face meeting with Paul when the free agency begins July 1, despite the salary obstacles the front office will have to face in order to steal the Clippers star away from Los Angeles.
League sources tell me that Chris Paul intends to give San Antonio serious consideration in free agency if he decides to leave the Clippers.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 2, 2017
Paul, who was drafted in 2005 by the New Orleans Hornets and traded to the Los Angeles in 2011, has yet to win a championship and pass the second round of the playoffs.
According to the article, Paul is intrigued by the idea of playing for Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich and teaming up with this year’s top-three MVP finalist Kawhi Leonard.
Despite the fact the Spurs do not currently have the cap space to sign Paul and will have to make serious roster changes, Stein reported one source said: “They love him.”
However, the Clippers have been viewed as the strong favorite to re-sign the 32-year-old point guard, offering Paul a five-year deal worth an estimated $205 million.
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If the Spurs do somehow make the necessary roster moves to land Paul, they along with other suitors, can only offer the veteran floor leader a four-year max deal at an estimated $152 million, according to the report and NBA’s new labor agreement.
The last time the Spurs were enticed by a veteran point guard was in 2003 when Jason Kidd was on the free agency market as an unrestricted free agent, but elected to re-sign with the New Jersey Nets on a six-year, $99 million deal.
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