Veteran point guard Chris Paul has previously described his lone season with the Golden State Warriors as "probably one of the toughest years for me," owing to the fact he took on a bench role for the first time in his illustrious career.
It's one of the key reasons Paul signed with the San Antonio Spurs during the offseason, allowing the 39-year-old to re-enter a starting role while helping to develop French phenom Victor Wembanyama.
Former Warrior Chris Paul could be headed back to a bench role
While Paul has been a very valuable acquisition for the Spurs so far this season, at 39-years-old he's clearly not their point guard of the future to pair with Wembanyama. That player may actually be on the horizon though, with the explosive report on Tuesday from ESPN's Shams Charania that the Sacramento Kings are listening to offers on All-Star guard De'Aaron Fox.
Fox is expected to have multiple suitors across the league, but the Spurs are seen by many as the front-runners to land the 27-year-old. Charania would go on to report on Wednesday that San Antonio is Fox's preferred destination as he seeks a new long-term home prior to his free agency in 2026.
The Spurs have the assets to be able pair an incredibly dynamic duo of Fox and Wembanyama, which could cause problems for the Warriors who are just a spot ahead of San Antonio in the Western Conference. The two teams also meet each other again twice late in the season, with the Spurs having taken the first matchup on their home floor in November.
Beyond that, Fox's arrival would lead to a somewhat uncertain future for Paul and the likelihood of moving back to the bench in a similar role to what he had with the Warriors last season. The veteran point guard is already quoted as saying, "If I’m gonna sacrifice my family and be away from them, then I at least need to be playing," so presumably he wouldn't be thrilled with Fox's arrival.
Perhaps Paul may even be included in a Fox trade or another deal before the deadline, but it's hard to see too many teams around the league where he would step into a starting role. The 12x All-Star has started in all 44 of his games with the Spurs this season, averaging nearly three minutes and 1.4 assists more than he did with the Warriors during his brief stint with the franchise.