Chris Paul

Spurs Notes: Roster, Possible New Arena, Trades, Sochan

December 20th, 2024 at 9:53pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Spurs’ roster was fully healthy for the first time all season for Thursday’s 133-126 overtime victory over Atlanta, writes Michael C. Wright of ESPN.

“It felt like a big relief,” All-Defensive center Victor Wembanyama said. “Even before the game, I think some of my teammates were still questionable. So we were like, ‘Is it the day, finally?'”

Capitalizing on the team’s surprising health edge, acting San Antonio head coach Mitch Johnson started Devin Vassell for the first time all year, moving Julian Champagnie to the bench for the first time since November 4. Vassell responded with 23 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals.

The story, of course, was Wembanyama, who led his team with 42 points, along with six rebounds, five assists and four rejections.

“I thought he imposed his will in a positive way tonight,” Johnson said. “You can see it physically just because of his sheer size when he’s demonstrative, playing with conviction, where he is going to get the ball to the spots he wants to get to and nothing’s going to stop him.”

San Antonio has gone 14-13 thus far this season, but in the competitive West, that’s only good for the No. 11 seed.

There’s more out of Alamo City:

A grassroots community group in San Antonio, COPS/Metro Alliance, has come out in opposition to the city using any of its own dollars for a proposed new Spurs arena downtown, per Molly Smith of The San Antonio Express-News. “Whoever says that this is a done deal I think is crazy, because it’s not a done deal,” said Sonia Rodriguez, leader of COPS/Metro Alliance.
In a Southwest Division mailbag, The Athletic’s Kelly Iko says he’s skeptical the Spurs will be open to offloading many of their rotational pieces in trades this season. Iko does suggest that – if the offer is good enough from a title hopeful – San Antonio could probably be convinced to part with Vassell or Champagnie. However, the club’s current roster seems capable of qualifying for this year’s play-tournament, Iko posits, adding that oft-injured veteran center Zach Collins, who is owed $34.7MM through 2025/26, may be the most tradable current Spur.
In addressing the Spurs’ current starting five, Iko advocates for a shooting-oriented group made up of point guard Chris Paul, Vassell, Champagnie, forward Harrison Barnes, and Wembanyama. Iko cautions, however, that relegating forward Jeremy Sochan and Castle to bench roles would naturally limit their defensive contributions to the roster.

Spurs Notes: Paul, M. Johnson, Wembanyama

December 12th, 2024 at 10:32am CST by Luke Adams

Spurs point guard Chris Paul is on a one-year contract, but he doesn’t necessarily plan on calling it a career when that deal expires. Speaking to Hall of Famer and former Spurs point guard Tony Parker an interview posted by the team (YouTube link), Paul suggested he still has “maybe a year or two” left in the tank.

“I’m still trying to feel it out,” Paul said. “I think the hardest part is—like, I love this, like practice today, I love hooping, I love all of that. The hardest part is when I get home and I’ve gotta watch my kids’ games on my iPad or whatnot, so that’s the tug of war right now.”

As Paul explained to Parker, his wife and kids are still living in Los Angeles, so he doesn’t want to spend too many more years away from them. Asked by Parker why he decided to join a rebuilding team like San Antonio, CP3 explained that if he was going to continue his career, playing time was a more important consideration for him than the opportunity to contend for a championship.

“Last year was probably one of the toughest years for me,” Paul said of a season with the Warriors in which he averaged a career-low 26.4 minutes per game. “More than anything, I just love to hoop. I wanna play. … If I’m gonna sacrifice my family and be away from them, then I at least need to be playing. Nobody’s guaranteed to win. There’s only one team that’s going to win. I think for me, I looked (at San Antonio) and I was like, ‘Man, I can go play. I can go hoop.'”

Here’s more on the Spurs:

While Paul has been adamant over the years that he has no desire to become an NBA coach after he retires, he softened that stance a little during his conversation with Parker. “I always said I wasn’t going to coach,” Paul said,“but I don’t know, I’m open to a whole bunch of things now.” In this year’s NBA general manager poll conducted by John Schuhmann, Paul received the most votes when GMs were asked which active player would make the best head coach.
In an in-depth feature for The San Antonio Express-News, Jeff McDonald takes a look at how Spurs assistant Mitch Johnson has become more than just Gregg Popovich‘s stand-in, establishing himself as a strong candidate to become a permanent head coach in San Antonio or elsewhere in the coming years.
The Spurs, who will face the Trail Blazers in Portland on Friday, are currently in the midst of four consecutive days off. The rare in-season break has been a boon for Victor Wembanyama, who said on Wednesday that it has been “really beneficial” to rest the sore lower back that forced him to miss two games last week, as Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News relays. This is the first time Wembanyama has experienced back pain, he told reporters. “It’s not like a big deal, but sometimes it stops me from doing certain things,” the reigning Rookie of the Year said.
While there’s no indication the Spurs will be in any rush to make an in-season trade, three players who signed new contracts over the offseason will become eligible to be dealt as of this Sunday: Paul, Charles Bassey, and Sandro Mamukelashvili.

Spurs Notes: Paul, Wembanyama, Bassey, Collins

December 9th, 2024 at 11:00am CST by Arthur Hill

The Spurs celebrated with a brief ceremony and a video tribute as Chris Paul moved into second place on the career assists list Sunday night, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPN. The 39-year-old point guard passed Jason Kidd with his third assist of the game midway through the second quarter. He received a commemorative ball and a photo listing all 173 players who have been the recipients of his assists throughout his career.

“It’s an amazing accomplishment,” interim coach Mitch Johnson said. “It’s a privilege to be able to see it up close and personal. We are witnessing greatness. A lot of us have competed against him. We’ve all watched him. And to be able to experience it firsthand is a privilege. He’s still doing it at a high level. We are grateful of that. He deserves all the praise and attention that comes with that because it’s a hell of an honor.”

Paul began his career in 2005 in New Orleans, so it was meaningful for him to reach the milestone against the Pelicans. He also recalled being on the other side for one of Kidd’s significant games.

“He got his 100th triple-double against me,” Paul said. “[The milestone] means I have played a long time. But J. Kidd did, too, and that’s what I appreciate. I don’t think people realize the longer you play in this league, the longer you pay attention to the guys who had longevity. So, [I’m] definitely grateful to still be here.”

There’s more from San Antonio:

Victor Wembanyama returned Sunday after missing two games with back soreness, Wright adds. He contributed 25 points and 10 rebounds and sank a 30-foot three-pointer with 36.9 seconds remaining to hold off a Pelicans comeback. “I got to be on this one,” he said of Paul’s accomplishment. “Just the celebration, it was the best. I’m very, very proud of him. He’s just incredible how he doesn’t just do things halfway. He’s never just on the court just to be on the court. He’s trying to win, trying to find solutions. It’s a trait you find in all these players, those greats that stick around for years and years.”
Charles Bassey provided a lift after Zach Collins and Keldon Johnson left Sunday’s game with injuries in the first half, per Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. Bassey tied his career high with 18 points in 16 minutes while also posting 11 rebounds and four blocks. “He played the role that we need him to in terms of energy, activity, physicality, athleticism,” Mitch Johnson said. “When he does that, the basketball finds him and he makes plays on both ends.”
Johnson also commented on Collins’ meltdown Friday night in Sacramento, which resulted in an ejection and a $35K fine, relays Tom Orsborn of The Express-News. “We need everybody,” Johnson said. “But that being said, we support him, we stay together. We all do things that we may want to handle differently and it was a moment I think he wished he could have back.”

Spurs Notes: Paul, Wembanyama, Champagnie, Defense

December 7th, 2024 at 9:51pm CST by Arthur Hill

Chris Paul will likely move into second place in career assists when the Spurs host New Orleans Sunday night, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. The veteran point guard handed out 13 assists Friday night, leaving him only two behind Jason Kidd’s total of 12,089. With John Stockton far off at 15,806, this might be the last time in Paul’s career that he moves up the list.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to still continue to play,” Paul said. “It has been so many, he’s done here, he’s done there, you know what I mean? So, I think it’s a lot of gratitude. And if that (passing Kidd) happens, I’ll be grateful.”

It appeared Paul’s arrangement with San Antonio might be a short one when he signed a one-year, $11MM contract over the summer. However, he’s shown that his game is still sharp at age 39, averaging 10.4 points, 8.5 assists and 1.4 steals per night while leading the Spurs into postseason contention. Speculation has started that he might return for at least another year, and his teammates support that idea.

“The way he takes care of his body and approaches the game every day, it’s going to help a lot of us, a lot of our young guys to mold them into the players that they need to be,” Julian Champagnie said. “Just watching him take care of his body, his preparation day in, day out, how he knows everybody on the (scouting report), he’s a pro, a pro’s pro and we appreciate him for everything.”

There’s more from San Antonio:

The Spurs’ medical team watched Victor Wembanyama test out his sore lower back Friday night before deciding to have him sit out a second straight game, Orsborn states in a separate story. There’s optimism that both Wembanyama and Devin Vassell may be able to return on Sunday, but Paul said the team has to learn how to take care of business no matter who’s available. “Obviously it’s been a tough stretch for us right now, different bodies in and out,” he said. “But that’s why we have this next man up mentality. It’s really hard to win in this league. Winning one game is really hard, so you definitely want to get back on the winning train just so you don’t forget what that feels like.”
Champagnie set career highs on Friday by scoring 30 points and making six three-pointers, Orsborn notes. The third-year small forward has become a regular part of the rotation this season and is averaging a career-best 12.6 PPG. “I’m just trying to do my job,” he said. “Some games are going to like that, and then some games are going to be five points. But I’m just going out there and playing hard, doing all the little things, doing what I can to help the team win. Just taking my shots, taking my opportunities while I have them.”
Interim coach Mitch Johnson didn’t want to use Wembanyama’s absence as an excuse after his team allowed Sacramento to score 140 points, Orsborn adds in another piece. Johnson called it “unacceptable” that the Spurs have given up at least 30 points in each of the last eight quarters.

Spurs Notes: Paul, Barnes, Wembanyama, Vassell, Bassey

November 22nd, 2024 at 1:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

The experience the Spurs gained when they added Chris Paul in free agency is paying off in close games, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. With the team’s three top scorers sidelined by injuries, Paul took over in the fourth quarter against Utah on Thursday night, going 4-of-6 from the field and dishing out three assists. McDonald notes that the Spurs are 3-3 in crunch-time games after losing a league-high 18 times in those situations last season, and Paul has been the obvious difference.

“I know clock management, I know the plays, the shots that I want to get,” Paul said. “The last three, four minutes of a game is a totally different game. You got a package that you want to go to. If your defense sucked all game long, you sort of lock in. That’s what I try to bring to the team.”

Paul has shown an ability to take over games throughout his 20 NBA seasons, with teammate Harrison Barnes calling him “one of the great closers in the game that we still have playing.” He has also brought a competitive edge to his young teammates that extends beyond the court.

“I think from Day 1, the way we approached things during the summer, the way we compete and practice on the plane, if it’s Connect 4, if it’s ping pong, whatever you do, you do it to win,” Paul said. “There’s competitive guys in that locker room.”

There’s more from San Antonio:

Barnes, who was acquired in an offseason trade, has also played an important role in the Spurs’ surprising 8-8 start, McDonald adds. He posted season highs in scoring twice this week, pouring in 20 points Tuesday and 25 last night. “I think the beauty of our team is different guys can step up on any given night,” he said. “Before these last two games, I think I was shooting six shots a game. So I think the coaches just talked about being aggressive.”
Victor Wembanyama and Devin Vassell are expected to return soon after missing the past three games with what interim coach Mitch Johnson called “minor” knee injuries, per Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Wembanyama bruised his right knee in a collision in a November 15 game. Vassell sat out that contest due to injury management following offseason foot surgery, but hasn’t been able to play since then due to pain in his left knee. “They are both trending in the right way, working on the court,” Johnson said. “Just need to get that final clearance.”
[Update: Both Wembanyama and Vassell are listed as questionable to play on Saturday.]
Charles Bassey is enjoying the chance to play while Wembanyama is out of action, Orsborn adds. The third-string center has averaged 23 minutes over the past three games and posted 11 points, eight rebounds and six blocks Thursday night. “It is not easy playing behind Victor, with what he does offensively, what he does defensively, obviously how many minutes he gets,” Barnes said. “So for 11 games or however many games it was to be out of the rotation, not playing, and to come in now to be able to have these type of games to give us this lift, those are big things.”

Spurs Notes: Paul, Castle, NBA Cup, Wembanyama

November 16th, 2024 at 7:25pm CST by Arthur Hill

Spurs point guard Chris Paul reached another milestone Friday night, handing out the 12,000th assist of his career, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. John Stockton may be out of reach at 15,806, but Paul is closing in on Jason Kidd’s second place total of 12,091. At age 39, Paul attributes his longevity to staying in top shape and studying the game.

“It’s training all day and all night,” he said. “The late-night massages. It’s getting up in the morning. It’s eating right. It’s training while you’re on vacation. It’s watching film day in and day out.”

Listed at 6’0″, Paul is by far the shortest player to reach 20 NBA seasons, McDonald adds. That list mostly includes big men, along with a few hyper-athletic wings. One of them is Paul’s close friend LeBron James, who met him after the game and discussed what it’s like to be in the twilight of their careers.

“Me and ‘Bron talked about it a little bit,” Paul said. “We don’t know how much longer it’s going to be, but I have so much gratitude for this game and the things I’ve been able to do and learn over the years.”

There’s more from San Antonio:

James also talked briefly to Stephon Castle after the game ended, which made a strong impression on the rookie guard, McDonald states in a separate story. After the Lakers pulled out a narrow victory, James shared some advice on a few reads that Castle could have made. “I’ve been watching him since I was a kid,” Castle said. “So for him to come up to me and talk to me for even that little bit, it really meant a lot. … I really respect him and appreciate him for coming up and saying that to me. He didn’t really have to.”
Friday’s losses left the Spurs and Grizzlies as the only teams without an NBA Cup win since the tournament was introduced last season, McDonald adds in the same piece. San Antonio will get three more chances, hosting Oklahoma City on Tuesday and then traveling to Utah on November 26 and Phoenix on December 3.
Victor Wembanyama will miss Saturday’s game at Dallas with a right knee contusion, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link). Zach Collins will replace him in the starting lineup.

Southwest Notes: Whitmore, Green, Sengun, Morant, Zion, Paul

November 7th, 2024 at 8:48pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Rockets are assigning last year’s No. 20 overall pick Cam Whitmore to their G League affiliate, Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan Feigen reports (Twitter link).

Whitmore played a significant role for the Rockets in the second half of last season. In total, he appeared in 47 games (two starts) as a rookie and averaged an impressive 12.3 points and 3.8 rebounds in 18.7 minutes per contest while shooting 35.9% from three on 4.7 attempts per game.

Whitmore began this season in the rotation, averaging 7.3 PPG in 13.6 MPG across the team’s first four games. However, with the second-year forward shooting just 38.7% from the field and not making a three-pointer until his fifth game, he fell out of the rotation and received a DNP-CD on Monday, then only received late-game minutes in a 27-point blowout on Wednesday.

Rookie Reed Sheppard‘s playing time has increased a bit as Whitmore’s has decreased, so he appears to be continuing to build a role in the rotation. It’s unclear what Houston’s exact plan with Whitmore is, but the Rockets’ hope is that he’ll find his shot in the G League, like he did last year when he made 38.9% of 10.1 three-point attempts per game with the development team.

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The Rockets awarded Jalen Green with a three-year, $106MM extension before the season, which came on the heels of a strong second half last season. Now, it looks as though the 2021 No. 2 overall pick is building on last season’s breakout, having averaged 22.6 points per game with a .382 3PT% through eight games this fall. With both he and 2021 classmate Alperen Sengun (No. 16 overall) having agreed to big extensions last month, Green has lofty expectations for the pair, Kelly Iko of The Athletic writes. “I love playing with [Sengun],” Green said. “We’ve had our ups and downs, I’ve played terrible, he’s been good the whole season — it was really me who was trying to find myself from a whole new system standpoint. The games that we won and both of us scored well, those are the games that will come when it’s playoff season. You see how [Nikola] Jokic and Jamal Murray are — I’m not saying we’re like them but they compare [Sengun] to Jokic all the time. So why can’t I be something similar to Jamal? Not saying I want to be, but someone that can get off too. It’s a two-man threat every night.“
Grizzlies star Ja Morant missed almost all of last season due to suspension and injury, but he’s back now and helping push Memphis toward being more competitive than it was last year. Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic writes that even though the Western Conference landscape has changed since Morant was last fully healthy, he still has the utmost belief in his team. “Still confident,” the point guard said. “Two years ago passed. I don’t even know who won the championship two years ago … Two years ago don’t matter. Last year don’t matter either. So all we can focus on is now, and that’s getting our wins and handling our business. Confidence never left.“
Zion Williamson returned to action for the Pelicans on Wednesday after missing two games, then suffered another brief injury scare in the second quarter, Christian Clark of NOLA.com writes. Williamson exited early in the second quarter before returning after halftime. He finished with 29 points and should be fine moving forward.
Trey Murphy is close to returning for the Pelicans after suffering a multi-week hamstring injury in October. According to Clark (Twitter link), Murphy was upgraded to doubtful for Friday’s game against the Magic. While it sounds like he’ll likely miss that game, it appears as though his return isn’t far off.
The Spurs brought in Chris Paul this offseason to serve as a veteran leader and mentor for their young players, including Victor Wembanyama. Paul spoke about his role with Sportskeeda’s Mark Medina (Twitter link). “You have to show guys that you can hoop,” Paul said. “I don’t go in there and try to be nobody’s coach and nobody’s daddy. First and foremost, I hoop.“

Spurs Notes: Paul, Wembanyama, Defense, Popovich

November 2nd, 2024 at 8:21pm CST by Arthur Hill

Chris Paul loves sharing his knowledge with younger players, and he has found an attentive group of students in his new Spurs teammates, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. According to Orsborn, Paul started his lessons shortly after signing with San Antonio this summer. He rounded up some teammates in Las Vegas and offered instructions throughout the five-on-five scrimmage.

“He’s like a player-coach,” Sandro Mamukelashvili said. “He is always so encouraging. Having him is such an advantage. He never says something that doesn’t make sense.”

The 39-year-old point guard has been around the NBA long enough to know that there are various ways to get through to different players. For instance, Orsborn relays that Paul didn’t offer any advice to Victor Wembanyama after he was held to six points in Wednesday’s loss at Oklahoma City. Wembanyama responded with one of the best games of his career the next night at Utah.

“Everyone you see in the league is always learning more,” Paul said. “(Wembanyama) has already been a pro for a long time. You give advice here and there, but he is going to be one of the greats.”

There’s more on the Spurs:

Wembanyama’s line against the Jazz included 25 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, five steals and five blocks, making it the 23rd 5×5 performance in league history, per Tony Jones of The Athletic. He joined Hakeem Olajuwon and Andrei Kirilenko as the only players to accomplish the feat twice. “It tells me that I need to get my standards up,” Wembanyama said afterward. “It tells me that I’m able to help my team in all of those areas and that this should be a consistent thing. As I’ve said before, I thought this was a game that we must have. So I was glad that I was able to help my team in every area.”
The Spurs are responding to coach Gregg Popovich‘s training camp emphasis on improving the defense, Orsborn adds in a separate story. They forced 25 turnovers against Utah, the highest total for the franchise in nine years, and recorded nine steals in the third quarter while holding the Jazz to 14 points. “We’re not ready to be a top-five defensive team by any stretch of the imagination, but we know that is the focus and we have played good defense throughout the season,” Popovich said. “We picked up where we left off from last year. I am really impressed with their understanding and enjoying what the defense can do for them.”
Popovich is missing tonight’s game with Minnesota due to an illness, tweets Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. Assistant coach Mitch Johnson is taking his place on the sidelines.

Spurs Notes: Branham, Paul, Vassell, Cissoko, G League

October 29th, 2024 at 2:58pm CST by Luke Adams

It remains to be seen whether there will be a regular role for him once the Spurs‘ roster is fully healthy, but Malaki Branham continues to take advantage of an early-season opportunity and is making a case for consistent playing time, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News.

After providing the Spurs with 14 solid minutes on Saturday, Branham had his best game of the season in Monday’s five-point loss to Houston, scoring 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting in just under 17 minutes of action. His plus-22.6 net rating through three contests is easily the best mark of any San Antonio rotation player — the team’s overall rating is minus-6.0.

“He’s been a pro,” head coach Gregg Popovich said of the third-year guard. “He’s done what he needed to do at practice and shootarounds. He came in and was ready to go. A class act.”

Here’s more on the Spurs:

In an entertaining feature story for The Athletic, Fred Katz takes an in-depth look at Chris Paul‘s history of mentorship, speaking to former teammates like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cameron Johnson, Mikal Bridges, and Cameron Payne about what they learned from the future Hall of Famer and exploring how the Spurs will benefit from his presence. “There has been a mentorship dynamic with everybody because Chris is Chris,” Popovich said. “His experience and his intelligence, as we know, is off the charts. … He talks to everybody on the court: big, little. (He’s) just been fantastic in that regard.”
The Spurs are sending Devin Vassell and Sidy Cissoko to Austin to participate in training camp with their G League team, tweets Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Vassell is in the final stages of his rehabilitation following offseason foot surgery, while Cissoko hasn’t seen any game action yet this season for San Antonio and could use the reps.
Speaking of the Austin Spurs, they officially announced their training camp roster on Tuesday (via Twitter). Malachi Flynn, Jamaree Bouyea, and Jameer Nelson Jr. (the son of former NBA point guard Jameer Nelson) are among the notable names on the 14-man squad.

Spurs Notes: Wembanyama, Paul, Sochan, Castle

October 25th, 2024 at 2:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

Playing extended minutes for the first time since the Olympics, Victor Wembanyama admitted conditioning was a factor in Thursday’s loss at Dallas, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPN. The Spurs were careful with their star big man during the preseason, limiting him to about 40 combined minutes in two games. Coach Gregg Popovich gave him a breather less than five minutes into Thursday’s contest.

“Some moments felt great,” Wembanyama said. “A little hard conditioning-wise at first, of course [as] I expected. But I think we had some good basketball moments and some really bad ones.”

Wembanyama struggled with his shooting, scoring 17 points while going 5-of-18 from the field and 1-of-8 from beyond the arc. But veteran point guard Chris Paul was encouraged that San Antonio only trailed by two points and halftime and was able to remain competitive against the defending Western Conference champions without having Wembanyama at his best.

“I love the fight we showed,” he said. “There are no moral victories, but we played against a team that went to the Finals. So, there’s a continuity they have. For me, not knowing what to expect in the preseason is one thing. The regular season is another thing. But I’m honestly so excited about the spurts that I’ve seen and what I know our team is capable of.”

There’s more on the Spurs:

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd doesn’t mind seeing Paul getting close to him for second place on the career assists list, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. Kidd believes the new partnership with Wembanyama will make it easier for Paul to eclipse his total. “When you have a target like Victor, he shouldn’t be thinking about my spot,” Kidd said, “but maybe John (Stockton)‘s.”
Back at forward after last season’s ill-fated point guard experiment, Jeremy Sochan tied for the team lead with 18 points, McDonald adds. Sochan appears more relaxed now that he’s locked into his natural position. “You grow up every year, you learn some things,” he said. “My situations a little different than last year. It’s just me playing with energy, playing hard, trying to be everywhere.”
Popovich was happy with the competitive fire shown by lottery pick Stephon Castle, whose first NBA action included time guarding Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson, per Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Popovich warned Castle about the challenge prior to the game. “I said, ‘You know, basically you’re a sophomore in college,’” Popovich told reporters. “‘At some point in the game, you’re going to guard the possible MVP of the NBA.’ It kind of hit him. It’s a little different.”

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