Chris Paul Reflects on Missed Lakers Opportunity and Career Trajectory
In 2011, a pivotal moment in Chris Paul's career saw a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers fall through, an event he continues to contemplate. Despite the near-move that would have united him with Kobe Bryant, the future Hall of Famer maintains that his professional journey ultimately progressed exactly as fate intended.
Paul recently shared his thoughts on The Late Run Show, detailing the NBA's intervention to block his transfer from the New Orleans Hornets to the Lakers. This decision arose because the league owned the Hornets at the time, following former owner George Shinn's sale of the team in 2010. Paul explained, "I was traded there for a few hours. My team at the time was owned by the league, the owner at the time had lost the team financially, so the NBA owned the team. So when the trade went through, I guess all the other owners, because they sort of had ownership in the team, got a chance to say hell no. They couldn’t let that happen.”
The proposed three-team deal aimed to bring Paul to Los Angeles, where he would have formed a formidable backcourt alongside Kobe Bryant. However, the league's rejection rerouted Paul to the Los Angeles Clippers, a move that would significantly redefine the franchise's trajectory. Though Paul admits to often pondering what his career might have been with the Lakers and Bryant, he harbors no resentment, firmly believing that "everything happens for a reason."
His tenure with the Clippers marked a transformative period for both Paul and the team. In his inaugural 2011-12 season with Los Angeles, he posted impressive averages of 19.8 points, 9.1 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per game, earning both All-NBA First Team and All-Defensive First Team honors. Over six seasons with the Clippers, Paul consistently led them to the playoffs and solidified his status as one of the league's elite point guards. During this span from 2011-12 to 2016-17, he averaged 18.9 points, 10.0 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.2 steals, securing six All-Star selections.
Following his impactful time with the Clippers, the 12-time All-Star continued his career with various teams, including the Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, and San Antonio Spurs, eventually returning to the Clippers for the 2025-26 season. As his career advanced, Paul's role evolved from a primary scorer to a seasoned facilitator. In the 2024-25 season with San Antonio, at 39 years old, he played all 82 games, averaging 8.8 points and 7.4 assists, significantly contributing to the development of younger talent.
Paul's career statistics underscore his remarkable consistency across two decades. Over 1,370 games, he has maintained averages of 16.8 points, 9.2 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game, with shooting percentages of 46.9% from the field and 37.0% from beyond the arc. While the Lakers trade remains a significant "what if," Paul's journey has undeniably culminated in a Hall of Fame-worthy career, establishing him as one of his generation's most influential floor generals, with his Clippers era being a cornerstone of his enduring legacy.