Chris Paul Reveals His Willingness To Come Off the Bench in Clippers Reunion
Aug 20, 2025
Chris Paul is entering the twilight of his NBA career, and ahead of what may be his final season in the league, he landed with the Los Angeles Clippers. The move was not only a homecoming for Paul, who had joined them for the first time since the Lob City Clippers broke up, but also reunited him with his former teammate, James Harden.
With Paul and Harden joining the likes of Ivica Zubac, Kawhi Leonard, John Collins, and Bradley Beal, hopes are incredibly high for this team heading into 2025/26. However, there were question marks over Paul's role heading into the year, with many believing that he wouldn't settle for a role coming off the bench after starting all 82 games for the San Antonio Spurs a year ago.
Recent comments suggest that he's okay with the role though, as Paul addressed the opportunity to be the sixth man in 2025/26.
“ My role on this team is obviously different than it has been the past 20 years being in the NBA. But showing up every day, if I can show some of the guys what it looks like everyday to clock in and clock out, I'm excited for it. „
That was in response to being asked about potentially backing up James Harden, and it's clear from his response that Paul is focused on playing his role, no matter what, and is happy to lead the bench unit moving forward. This past season, Paul posted a very efficient 9 points and 7 assists for the Spurs in 28 minutes a night, and given the lack of a ball handler beyond Paul on the Clippers bench, he'll need to be every bit as good moving forward.
Ultimately, Paul has made the right choice by accepting his role off the bench, as this team should have a very good second unit that can help push the Clippers to the NBA Playoffs, and after so long, he's the perfect fit to be back in Los Angeles.
