NBA Rumors: Could San Antonio Spurs Sign Chris Paul In 2017 NBA Free Agency?

The San Antonio Spurs aren’t getting any younger, and could look to be players in NBA free agency next offseason. Tim Duncan finished off an amazing career last season, and walked away into retirement this offseason. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are also getting up there in years, and don’t have too much left in the tank.

Looking ahead to next offseason, the Spurs could consider pursuing one of the bigger name free agents. One point guard in particular would make a lot of sense for the Spurs and would fit their culture.

Chris Paul is set to hit open free agency next offseason after a very successful tenure with the Los Angeles Clippers. Now that Parker is getting older, the Spurs would be wise to look at better starting point guard options. Parker could serve as Paul’s backup, although there is no guarantee that he will play another season.

Last season with the Clippers, Paul ended up averaging 19.5 points, 10 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game. He shot 46.2 percent from the field overall, and knocked down 37.1 percent of his three-point attempts. Paul is widely considered to be one of the best NBA point guards of all-time on both ends of the court.

At 31-years-old, Paul has at least one more big contract left in his career. He could play the foreseeable future with the Spurs at an All-Star level.

Nick Petrusevski of the Windy City Tribune opined that Dwyane Wade could recruit stars to Chicago. He has a very close friendship with Paul, which could make the Bulls a potential landing spot for Paul.

If the Spurs want to make a play for Paul, they will have to be very aggressive right off the bat. They can still boast a star-studded roster and the ability to form a legitimate “big three” with Paul, Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge. That offer would be intriguing for Paul to say the very least.

Needless to say, it will be interesting to see which teams line up with interest in Paul. He will have quite a few teams interested in throwing max contract offers his direction.

San Antonio will be able to create enough cap space to sign Paul if they are in the running to bring him on board.

Being able to play for a proven franchise like the Spurs would be an intriguing option for Paul. He would play for one of the best head coaches in NBA history as well in Gregg Popovich. All of those things would make turning the Spurs down a difficult thing to do.

It will be interesting to see what next offseason holds for Paul and the Spurs. He is going to be one of the most talked about players in free agency and the Spurs will have a lot of competition to bring him on board. Paul has to cash in on what could be his last free agency.

Expect to see the Spurs at least show interest in signing Paul when free agency opens up next offseason. They showed interest in Mike Conley this offseason, although the Memphis Grizzlies overpaid to bring him back. San Antonio is still a team to be reckoned with in the Western Conference, and adding Paul would make them a powerhouse that could compete with the Golden State Warriors once again.

Popovich would likely welcome Paul with open arms and it would be a changing of the guard for the Spurs.

Do you think the San Antonio Spurs should pursue superstar point guard Chris Paul in free agency next offseason? Would he make the Spurs a legitimate contender in the Western Conference? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below!

[Photo by AP Photo/Rick Bowmer]