By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-07-21 11:50:51
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。
2025年4月13日星期日，圣安东尼奥，丰业银行中心，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫克里斯·保罗（3号）在对阵多伦多猛龙队的上半场比赛中等待罚球。
事实证明，克里斯·保罗 (Chris Paul) 在入选名人堂的路上还有一站。
而且这一站对他而言非常熟悉。
这位12届全明星球员上赛季效力于马刺队，现已同意与洛杉矶快船队签下一份为期一年、价值360万美元的合同，重返快船，这将是——许多人相信——他职业生涯的第21个，也是最后一个NBA赛季。
保罗 (Chris Paul) 在2011年至2017年期间为快船队效力了六个赛季，期间他帮助这支此前死气沉沉的球队转变为西部劲旅。
如今40岁的保罗即将回到洛杉矶——他的妻子和孩子们一直留在这里——来结束他史诗般的职业生涯。
在圣安东尼奥，保罗会被人们怀念，他的篮球智慧以及看遍世事、一丝不苟的领导力，对于一支经历了诸多逆境的年轻马刺队来说至关重要——从主教练格雷格·波波维奇 (Gregg Popovich) 11月因中风休战，到明星球员维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 2月因血凝块问题缺阵。
在这一切之中，保罗 (Chris Paul) 证明了他是场上场下的中流砥柱。
“我认为我们的球队比联盟中任何一支球队都更需要他，”被任命全职接替因病休战的波波维奇的助理教练米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 说，“我知道我比任何教练都更需要他。”
用保罗自己的话来说，他来到圣安东尼奥就是为了“打球”。马刺队让他如愿以偿，安排保罗 (Chris Paul) 首发出战了全部82场比赛。
作为上赛季马刺队中最年长的球员，保罗 (Chris Paul) 仍以2292分钟的出场时间领跑全队。他是继40岁的迈克尔·乔丹 (Michael Jordan) 之后，第二位在单赛季中领衔球队出场时间的球员，后者于2002-03赛季在华盛顿奇才队达成了这一成就。
保罗 (Chris Paul) 在圣安东尼奥的唯一一个赛季中，场均贡献8.8分和全队最高的7.4次助攻。
身披马刺战袍期间，他达到了两项重要的NBA里程碑，本赛季他相继在联盟历史助攻榜和抢断榜上超越贾森·基德 (Jason Kidd) 升至第二位。
一路走来，正如预期的那样，保罗 (Chris Paul) 展现了他作为NBA最年轻球队之一的乐于助人的导师形象。
斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) 表示，他五月份获得的年度最佳新秀奖杯，至少有一部分要归功于保罗。
“他见证了比赛的方方面面，”卡斯尔说，“所以能和他一起打球，这确实帮助了我很多。”
保罗 (Chris Paul) 同样在赛季结束时，对他在圣安东尼奥的时光赞不绝口。
“你永远不知道你的旅程将把你带向何方，”保罗说，“我从未想过自己会来到圣安东尼奥。能和所有这些家伙建立联系真是不可思议。”
现在，保罗的篮球之旅即将把他带回熟悉的洛杉矶。与此同时，马刺队将继续前进，迎接新的首发控球后卫。
他们无需寻觅太远。
马刺队之所以能够放走保罗，部分原因是他们后场选择日益丰富。球队在二月份交易得到了28岁的全明星球员达龙·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox)，准备让他成为球队近期未来的控球后卫。
卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) 仍在队中。今年六月，马刺队用榜眼签选中了另一位后场基石——罗格斯大学的明星球员迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper)。
可以说，马刺队不会太想念保罗 (Chris Paul) 在轮换阵容中的位置。他们会想念他的声音、他的更衣室影响力以及他老将的沉着自信。
“他的个性和他对待比赛的方式是众所周知的，”约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 说，“他永不懈怠，他毫不退让，他……与众不同。我这是在用最褒奖的方式来形容他。”
点击查看原文：Chris Paul officially an ex Spur
Chris Paul officially an ex Spur
San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) waits for Toronto Raptors free throws during the first half at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Sunday, April 13, 2025.
It turns out Chris Paul has another stop to make on his way to the Hall of Fame.
And it is a familiar one.
The 12-time All-Star, who spent last season with the Spurs, has agreed to a one-year, $3.6-million deal to return to the Los Angeles Clippers for what will be his 21st – and many believe – his final NBA campaign.
Paul spent six seasons with the Clippers from 2011-17, where he helped transform the previously moribund franchise into a Western Conference force.
Now at age 40, Paul is headed back to Los Angeles – where his wife and children have remained – to conclude his epic career.
Paul will be missed in San Antonio, where his basketball acumen and seen-it-all, no-nonsense leadership proved vital to a young Spurs squad that endured much adversity – from the loss of coach Gregg Popovich to a stroke in November to the loss of star player Victor Wembanyama to a blood clot issue in February.
Through it all, Paul proved an anchor both on and off the court.
“I think our team needed it more than any team in the league,” said Mitch Johnson, the assistant tabbed to replace the ailing Popovich, now on a full-time basis. “I know I needed it more than any other coach.”
Paul came to San Antonio to “hoop,” in his words. The Spurs let him, tabbing Paul to start all 82 games.
The oldest of last season’s Spurs, Paul nevertheless led the team in minutes played at 2,292. He is the second-oldest player to lead a club in minutes behind a 40-year-old Michael Jordan, who accomplished that with Washington in 2002-03.
Paul ended his lone go-round in San Antonio averaging 8.8 points and a team-best 7.4 assists.
He reached a pair of notable NBA milestones in a Spurs uniform, passing Jason Kidd for second place on the league’s all-time assists and steals charts during the season.
Along the way and as expected, Paul showed himself to be a willing mentor for one of the youngest teams in the NBA.
Stephon Castle said he owes Paul at least a portion of the Rookie of the Year trophy he claimed in May.
“He’s seen every part of the game,” Castle said. “So being able to play alongside him, that definitely helped a lot.”
Paul likewise spoke glowingly of his time in San Antonio as the season wound down.
“You never know where your journey is going to take you,” Paul said. “I would never have imagined I’d end up in San Antonio. It’s been unbelievable to make a connection with all these guys.”
Now Paul’s basketball journey is set to take him back to familiar stomping grounds in Los Angeles. The Spurs, meanwhile, will move on with a new starting point guard.
They won’t have to look far.
Part of the reason the Spurs were able to let Paul walk was a growing glut of backcourt options. The club traded for 28-year-old All-Star De’Aaron Fox in February, preparing to make him the point guard of the near future.
Castle remains on the roster. In June, the Spurs used the No. 2 pick to select another backcourt building block in Rutgers standout Dylan Harper.
It is fair to say the Spurs will not miss Paul’s place in the playing rotation so much. They will miss his voice, his locker room presence, his veteran swagger.
“His personality and the way he approaches the game is well known,” Johnson said. “He’s relentless. He’s unapologetic. He is … a lot. I mean that in the most complimentary way.”
By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News