Clippers Face Reality with Aging Chris Paul
After decades of NBA history, the LA Clippers should have realized that the only 40-year-old player consistently performing at a high level is LeBron James. The Clippers signed Chris Paul, who is also 40, hoping to manage his minutes through the regular season and see occasional strong performances in the playoffs.
By game four of the 2025-26 regular season, it became clear their expectations were somewhat unrealistic. Paul's debut in Salt Lake City highlighted this more through his inefficiency—shooting just 1-5 from the field—than his modest stat line of four points and four assists.
Still, Paul's veteran leadership and basketball IQ remain valuable, but maintaining consistent performance will be his greatest challenge across the remaining 78 games.
Roster and Rotation Challenges
With the full roster available, coach Tyronn Lue had to decide on a DNP (Did Not Play) for Bogdan Bogdanovic when the Clippers had their complete rotation. However, during Bradley Beal's absence in games three and four, the Clippers faced a shortage of guards, pushing their ten-man rotation with four veteran guards to its limit.
Fortunately, all eleven players are available moving forward, so future DNPs will likely be due to coaching choices rather than availability.
“Paul’s veteran voice and high IQ will be needed, but consistency will be his biggest challenge over the Clippers' next 78 games.”
Author’s summary: The Clippers hoped aging point guard Chris Paul could deliver steady performances, but early-season struggles reveal the challenge of relying on a 40-year-old to carry the team consistently.