By Jeff McDonald | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2024-06-30 19:55:02
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
2024 年 3 月 11 日，德克萨斯州圣安东尼奥，在弗罗斯特银行中心的比赛下半场，金州勇士队的后卫布兰丁·波杰姆斯基（2 号）、后卫克里斯·保罗（3 号）和圣安东尼奥马刺队的中锋维克托·文班亚马（1 号）争抢篮球。马刺队以 102-112 输给了勇士队。
马刺队在上周的 NBA 选秀大会上用首轮签选中了他们未来的控球后卫。而在周日自由球员市场开启的第一天，他们又签下了一位拥有全明星履历的短期控卫。
而且这还只是轻描淡写。
联盟消息人士透露，克里斯·保罗(Chris Paul)是 NBA 历史上最伟大的控球后卫之一，他已经同意与马刺队签订一份为期一年、价值 1100 万美元的合同，这将迅速推进圣安东尼奥的维克托·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)项目。
周日的这笔交易凸显了 NBA 的生命轮回，也为 39 岁的保罗铺平了道路，他将成为马刺队一众后起之秀的场上导师。这其中就包括 19 岁的斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)，这位前康涅狄格州的杰出球员在上周的选秀大会上被马刺队以第四顺位选中。
保罗的到来也将有助于文班亚马周围的事务井然有序，他是联盟中最有希望成为下一个超级巨星的球员。
上个赛季，马刺队错失了很多给文班亚马的空中接力传球，这让球迷们感到非常沮丧。而现在，马刺队即将迎来一位 12 届全明星球员，他恰好是 NBA 的现役助攻王。
保罗已经在联盟征战了 19 个赛季，几乎和卡斯尔的年龄一样长，他不再被认为是全明星级别的控球后卫。
他上个赛季效力于金州勇士队，场均贡献 9.2 分和 6.2 次助攻，大部分时间都是替补出场。勇士队在周日自由球员市场开启前裁掉了保罗，而不是选择继续支付他本应得到的 3000 万美元保障工资。
这为保罗加盟重建中的马刺队扫清了障碍，他将立即在球队中扮演领导角色，球队高层希望这能帮助上赛季 NBA 最年轻的阵容更上一层楼。
2019-20 赛季，保罗在俄克拉荷马雷霆队扮演了类似的角色，他是帮助未来雷霆队全明星球员谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大(Shai Gilgeous-Alexander)释放控卫潜力的关键人物。
马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)一直是保罗的粉丝，据报道这种感觉是相互的。
“他是联盟历史上最伟大的竞争者之一，”波波维奇在保罗去年三月帮助金州勇士队战胜马刺队后说道。“他是一位伟大的领袖，伟大的竞争者。他是最棒的球员之一。”
勇士队在裁掉保罗之前曾试图交易他，但没有成功。马刺队没有通过交易得到保罗，而是等到他进入自由市场，最终只花了三分之一多一点的价格就得到了他。
通过向保罗提供一份为期一年的合同，马刺队能够在目前保持薪资空间的灵活，以便在明年夏天进行更大规模的运作。据联盟消息人士透露，在自由球员市场开启初期，马刺队对许多自由球员都只提供了为期一年的合同。
在联盟的休赛期冻结期于周六结束之前，各支球队还不能正式与自由球员签约。
为了接受马刺队的报价，保罗首先必须重新调整自己的职业生涯预期。
自从在新奥尔良黄蜂队效力初期开始，保罗就从来没有为一支没有明确目标的球队效力过。
在他的 19 个赛季中，有 15 个赛季都以打进季后赛告终。上个赛季，勇士队在西部附加赛中被萨克拉门托国王队淘汰，而在此之前，保罗的球队上一次无缘季后赛还要追溯到 2009-10 赛季的新奥尔良黄蜂队。
在之后效力于洛杉矶快船队、休斯顿火箭队、俄克拉荷马雷霆队、菲尼克斯太阳队和金州勇士队的日子里，保罗在大多数赛季都可以期待着季后赛的征程。在其中的许多个赛季里，冲击 NBA 总冠军都不是没有可能。
保罗从未赢得过 NBA 总冠军，他最接近总冠军的一次是在 2021 年，当时他所在的太阳队在总决赛中以 2-4 输给了密尔沃基雄鹿队。
在职业生涯的这个阶段同意加盟圣安东尼奥，保罗基本上已经放弃了对总冠军戒指的追逐，或者至少是暂时搁置了这个想法。
马刺队已经连续两个赛季取得 22 胜 60 负的战绩。即使拥有一支以文班亚马为核心的球队，想要在一个赛季内实现从鱼腩球队到争冠球队的跨越似乎也过于遥远。
然而，如果马刺队再次成为总冠军的有力争夺者，他们相信保罗可以成为带领他们前进的指路明灯。即使到那时他已经不在球队名单上了。
点击查看原文：All-Star point guard Chris Paul headed to Spurs
All-Star point guard Chris Paul headed to Spurs
Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski (2), guard Chris Paul (3) and San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) fight for the ball during the second half at Frost Bank Center on Monday, March 11, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs fell to the Warriors, 112-102.
The Spurs used a first-round pick in the last week’s NBA draft to select their next point guard of the future. On the first day of free agency Sunday, they went and plucked a short-term point guard with an All-Star past.
And that is putting it mildly.
Chris Paul, unequivocally one of the NBA’s all-time greats at the position, has agreed to a one-year, $11-million contract to join the Spurs, rapidly progressing the Victor Wembanyama project in San Antonio, league sources said.
In a move that underscores the circle of NBA life, Sunday’s deal paves the way for the 39-year-old Paul to become an on-the-floor mentor to the Spurs’ crop of up-and-coming guards. That includes 19-year-old Stephon Castle, the former Connecticut standout the Spurs drafted fourth overall last week.
Paul’s arrival also should help keep things organized around Wembanyama, the league’s most ready-for-takeoff next star.
All those lob passes the Spurs missed throwing to Wembanyama last season, much to the frustration of fans? The Spurs are poised to add a 12-time All-Star who happens to be the NBA’s active leader in assists.
A 19-year-veteran who has been in the league about as long as Castle has been alive, Paul is no longer considered among the All-Star echelon of point guards.
He played last season in Golden State, where he averaged 9.2 points and 6.2 assists while mostly coming off the bench. The Warriors waived Paul just before the free agency starting gun Sunday, rather than opting to remain on the hook for the guaranteed $30 he would have been due.
That cleared the runway for Paul to join the rebuilding Spurs, where he should immediately assume a leadership role that team brass hope will help boost what was the youngest roster in the NBA last season to another level.
Paul filled a similar role in 2019-20 in Oklahoma City, where Paul was a key role model in helping future Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander unlock his point-guard potential.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has long been a fan of Paul, and the feeling is reportedly mutual.
“He’s one of the best all-time competitors in the league,” Popovich said after Paul helped guide Golden State to a victory over the Spurs last March. “He’s a great leader, great competitor. He’s up there, one of the best.”
The Warriors tried in vain to deal Paul before waiving him. By refusing to trade for Paul, instead waiting for him to hit the market, the Spurs got him for a little more than a third of the price.
By offering Paul a one-year deal, the Spurs were able to for now keep their books clear to make what could be an even bigger splash next summer. Per league sources, the Spurs have been mostly interested in offering one-year deals to many free agents they have contacted in the early stages of free agency.
Teams cannot officially sign free agents to contracts until the league’s offseason moratorium ends Saturday.
In order to accept the Spurs’ offer, Paul had to first recalibrate his own career expectations.
Since his earliest days in New Orleans, Paul has never played for a team that did not open the season with the expectation of playing for something meaningful.
Fifteen of his 19 seasons ended in the playoffs. Before last season, when the Warriors were bounced by Sacramento in the Western Conference play-in tournament, the last time Paul’s team did not qualify for the postseason was his 2009-10 New Orleans squad.
In stints since with the Los Angeles Clippers, Houston, Oklahoma City, Phoenix and Golden State, Paul could go into most seasons banking on a playoff run. In many of them, an NBA title shot was not out of the question.
Paul has never won an NBA championship, coming closest in 2021 when his Suns team lost a Finals series against Milwaukee in six games.
In agreeing to come to San Antonio at this point in his career, Paul has essentially given up chasing a championship ring – or has at least pressed pause on the notion.
The Spurs have finished 22-60 in two consecutive seasons. The idea of making a jump from there to title contention in the span of a season seems a bridge too far, even on a team featuring Wembanyama.
If and when the Spurs do again become title contenders, however, they are betting Paul can be a guiding force that gets them there. Even if he is no longer on the roster by then.
By Jeff McDonald, via San Antonio Express-News
