Tag: Chris Paul

Thunder guard and Texas A&M alumnus Alex Caruso rated higher in NBA 2k25 than 2 legends

Ahead of the release for NBA 2k25, player ratings have begun to be revealed and the newest member of the Thunder is ranked ahead of legends.

As one of the best defensive guards in the NBA, Texas A&M alumnus Alex Caruso is well respected by his peers — and deservingly so.

Ahead of the release for NBA 2k25 on Sept. 6, player ratings have begun to be revealed and the newest member of the Thunder is ranked ahead of two future Basketball Hall of Famers.

Caruso was given an 82 rating which ranked him 71st overall in the association. Other players with an identical rating include: Jalen Suggs, Herbert Jones, Jerami Grant, Darius Garland, Ivica Zubac and Jonas Valančiūnas.

The combo guard found himself slotted ahead of five former NBA All-Stars, two of which are arguably first ballot Hall of Famers. Those pair of legends are Chris Paul and Klay Thompson. After Caruso was traded to Oklahoma City in June, the move was compared to when the Golden State Warriors acquired Thompson’s former teammate, Andre Iguodala.

The other three All-Stars ranked behind Caruso, all of which with an 81 rating, are D’Angelo Russell, Mike Conley and Nikola Vucevic.

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Chris Paul’s PlayersTV investment scores big with DIRECTV

Chris Paul’s media investment is already paying dividends.

Chris Paul is among 70 athletes to either be part of PlayersTV’s ownership group or hold shares within the company. The former Golden State Warriors guard, and future Hall of Famer has now seen a direct return on his initial investment, as PlayersTV has struck a groundbreaking deal with DIRECTV.

The move, the first of its kind, will see PlayersTV expand its overall reach to a vast new audience. The channel specializes in sports, entertainment and lifestyle content and also boasts Carmelo Anthony, Kyrie Irving and CJ McCollum, among the notable names from within NBA circles.

“PlayersTV has announced a new agreement with DIRECTV, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of sports media,” The press release read. “As the only athlete fan-owned media network and content provider exclusively dedicated to sports, lifestyle, and entertainment, PlayersTV will now expand its reach to millions of new viewers. This agreement offers unparalleled access to premium athlete lifestyle content, solidifying PlayersTV as the premier destination for sports enthusiasts seeking a deeper, more personal connection with their favorite athletes.”

Paul, who signed with the San Antonio Spurs during the summer, is firmly in the final stage of his playing career.

It would appear that he’s already finding success in other avenues and could potentially embark on a new journey with PlayersTV once his time in the league draws to a close.

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Warriors could potentially avoid first tax apron

The Golden State Warriors could potentially avoid the luxury tax next season.

The Golden State Warriors have reduced their total salary obligations during the offseason. With Klay Thompson and Chris Paul both leaving the franchise, the Warriors’ cap sheet looks healthier than it has in multiple years. During the 2023-24 season, Joe Lacob noted how he wanted the franchise to reduce its tax burden and potentially avoid being hit with another repeater tax.

In a recent article for Bleacher Report, cap guru Eric Pincus explained how the new cap rules and the Warriors’ recent moves in free agency have set the team up to potentially avoid the first tax apron in the upcoming season.

“The significant change for the Warriors was the reduction in luxury tax from last year’s league-leading $176.9 million penalty,” Pincus wrote. “It wouldn’t be shocking if the franchise dropped entirely below the tax line before the trade deadline. Thompson may be gone, but the team added De’Anthony Melton, Anderson and Hield while dramatically reducing payroll.”

The front office has done a great job of re-tooling the roster while also shedding a significant amount of salary. The Warriors are potentially better equipped than they were last season and could avoid being a luxury tax team in the coming months.
Whether the front office decides to pursue ducking under the luxury tax or commits to adding another impactful player to the rotation remains to be seen. Either way, it’s been a strong summer in the Bay Area.
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Recent San Antonio Spurs arrival Chris Paul named to top 100 athletes since 2000

The Spurs are getting quite the veteran point guard for next season, it seems.

When the San Antonio Spurs signed veteran point guard Chris Paul away from the Golden State Warriors at the start of the NBA’s 2024 free agency period, they knew that they were getting one of the league’s savviest active players and a future Hall of Famer.

But they are also getting (at least in the eyes of ESPN) one of the world’s top 100 athletes since the year 2000. No. 83 overall, to be specific, just behind gymnast Kohei Uchimura and just ahead of WNBA champion Lauren Jackson. “Paul has run thousands of pick-and-rolls to perfection and dished the ball out for nearly 12,000 assists, but his greatest accomplishment might have been transforming the (Los Angeles) Clippers from annual punching bags to perennial playoff contenders while orchestrating the unforgettable Lob City teams,” writes ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk.

“Before Paul’s arrival in Los Angeles, the franchise had made the postseason just seven times in its history.”

“Paul’s Clippers made the playoffs six consecutive times as he delivered some of the most scintillating alley-oops in NBA history to Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan,” he adds.

“Clippers fans won’t forget Paul’s Game 7-winning running bank shot that capped off a 27-point performance against the defending champion San Antonio Spurs in the first round in 2015.”

We’re sure y’all did not need to be reminded of that last tidbit — but he’s on the Spurs’ side now, after all.

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San Antonio Spurs veteran point guard Chris Paul sells West Coast mansion

Evidently, Paul does not plan on kicking it on the West Coast again any time soon.

Evidently, newest San Antonio Spurs floor general Chris Paul does not plan on kicking it on the West Coast again any time soon. The veteran point guard reportedly sold his Encino-based mansion, according to some recent reporting from TMZ.

And while that does not make clear anything much about his future plans in his new home, given the stage of career CP3 is at as one of the league’s elder statesmen, its duration with any particular ball club probably ought to be measured by contract length over earnings potential. The mansion reportedly went for a cool $15 million, and features a salt water pool, and home theater to boot.

It also has wine cellar, a home gym, a multi-sport court, and plenty more stunning amenities.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C8fs9eGys83/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=66fac586-7dec-42b9-80a7-34f273c14539

Take a look at the Instagram post embedded above to get a better idea of Paul’s sumptuous digs.

Especially if you happen to have the money to recreate such an expansive manse.

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Which Warriors were snubbed in ESPN’s latest top-25 rankings?

Did ESPN snub any current of former Golden State Warriors players in their lastest “Top-25 of the 21st Century” rankings?

ESPN recently released its “Top-25 Players of the 21st Century” list. Steph Curry was positioned third, and Draymond Green came in 22nd. Klay Thompson was not included despite his importance to the Golden State Warriors’ dominance over the past decade. Kevin Durant and Chris Paul were also named to the list, but their tenures in the Bay Area were fleeting.

Of course, there are other members of the Warriors roster that were overlooked. Andre Iguodala springs to mind as an impactful rotation player that played a key role in the team’s early dominance.

In a recent video on the “Warriors Digest” YouTube channel, the host debates which members of Golden State’s dynasty ESPN have overlooked and whether the panel of voters got the decision right.

Due to ESPN’s rankings covering players from the last 24 years, there were undoubtedly some difficult decisions when choosing which players to omit and who to include.

Still, if you want to find out who was snubbed, you can watch the full video by clicking on the embedded link above.

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San Antonio Spurs rookie Stephon Castle on playing with Chris Paul

“I feel like (Cp3 is) one of the best point guards to ever play in the NBA,” said Castle.

To say that rookie San Antonio Spurs combo guard Stephon Castle is excited to play with new veteran Spurs floor general Chris Paul may be something of an understatement. The champion University of Connecticut alum recently shared some of his thoughts about playing with his new teammate (and iconic head coach Gregg Popovich, for that matter) in an interview with Uproxx’ Robby Kalland.

“I feel like (Cp3 is) one of the best point guards to ever play in the NBA. So, to be able to learn from him, year one, it’s going to be super fun, for sure,” said Castle.

“And to be able to play alongside him, I feel like he’s a legend, so to play alongside Chris Paul and have Coach Pop with me is definitely something I’m looking forward to.”

“But just being able to pick up on things like screen navigation, like when to snake a screen, the right passes to make and stuff, I feel like he’s the best at doing that,” he added.

“So, trying to pick up on a lot of that stuff in the year that we’ll have him.”

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Blake Wesley gives thoughts on Spurs adding future Hall of Famer Chris Paul

Young Blake Wesley gives his thoughts and reaction to the San Antonio Spurs bringing in future Hall of Famer Chris Paul.

The San Antonio Spurs have had one of the more aggressive offseasons as they look to help Victor Wembanyama take the next step in his development to lead the Spurs forward.

One key addition is future Hall of Famer Chris Paul who will look to help the Spurs move forward. The 19-year veteran has been one of the best point guards in the history of the league and has a clear understanding of how to help teams move forward.

Young Blake Wesley figures to be one of the beneficiaries of Paul’s presence. Wesley is still looking to find his place in the league and stated this in an interview with HoopsHype about Paul’s addition:

 I’m excited, man. He’s a great dude. I just worked out. We just worked out with him not too long ago at Summer League. Yeah. So it’s good. He’s a great dude. He’s talking to me, coaching me, telling me to go handle the ball. So I’m enjoying it so far, and I can’t wait to learn and get the knowledge. Really take what he has. So I’m excited.

Paul played 58 games with the Golden State Warriors in the 2023-24 season averaging 9.2 points and 6.8 assists coming off the bench. He will likely assume a starting role in San Antonio and look to get the Spurs trending in the right direction again.

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Blake Wesley on Chris Paul: ‘For him to be my teammate is kind of crazy’

Blake Wesley, the San Antonio Spurs’ third-year guard, has seen growth and development over the past few seasons as he has patiently awaited his opportunity. Standing at 6-foot-4, Wesley’s blend of speed, skill, and defensive acumen positions him as …

Blake Wesley, the San Antonio Spurs’ third-year guard, has seen growth and development over the past few seasons as he has patiently awaited his opportunity. Standing at 6-foot-4, Wesley’s blend of speed, skill, and defensive acumen positions him as a potential breakout player for the Spurs.

Wesley has spent his initial years in the Association alternating between the San Antonio Spurs and their G League affiliate, the Austin Spurs.

In an interview with HoopsHype, on behalf of Herbalife, Wesley opened up about his journey, his excitement about learning from Chris Paul, Spurs being a darkhorse team and more.

What stood out from Chris Paul, Harrison Barnes first press conference with San Antonio Spurs?

Whether it will be enough to push San Antonio into the play-in tournament or even the playoff outright remains to be seen.

There had been rumbles that the San Antonio Spurs would look to add some veteran talent to their 2024-25 roster, but few of their fans were thinking that the Spurs would end up stealing away veteran floor general Chris Paul from the Golden State Warriors in free agency.

Fewer still of the Spurs’ fan base thought much about the possibility of adding Sacramento Kings vet forward Harrison Barnes via a trade, and yet both of these two unlikely outcomes ended up bolstering the Spurs’ rotations heading into next season. Whether it will be enough to push San Antonio into the play-in tournament or even the playoff outright remains to be seen.

But even if it doesn’t happen this season, these two ought to help lay a championship culture down worthy of the Spurs.

The host of the “Locked On Spurs” podcast, Jeff Garcia, took a closer look at what Paul and Barnes had to say in their first presser for San Antonio. Check it out above!

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