Spurs News: All-Star Guard Regains Spotlight as Chris Paul’s $11 Million Signing Ends Trae Young Rumors

Following his one-year stint with the Warriors, Chris Paul recently signed with the Spurs. How random was this? Paul to the Spurs wouldn’t have been an obvious possibility, but on the bright side, he’s just the veteran presence San Antonio needs. Paul took no extra time to rethink his decisions and jumped at the prospect of signing an $11 million plus deal with the team. The Spurs being one of the youngest teams of recent times, Paul’s presence as a veteran will bring in the much-needed balance there. Plus, now that this is set in stone, all the rumors circulating Trae Young will also come to an end. But then, this trade brings about another name into focus – Darius Garland.

He is one guard to look out for, as far as the Spurs are concerned. But why Garland? Well, the star guard in Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell denied the claims that he was unhappy with the Cavs following their second-round exit. However, he did share his frustrations before the postseason when the Cavs were struggling to clinch a playoff berth. Although Cleveland had a decent postseason run, this questioned Mitchell’s compatibility with Garland. Now, if the franchise does not consider including the 24-year-old guard in the future, they have the option to introduce other useful assets, coming from San Antonio.

Former GM of the Suns, Ryan McDonough first spotted the opportunity of the Garland trade. Elaborating on the idea, he said, “So we’ve heard that Donovan Mitchell may not love playing with Darius Garland. We know the Cleveland Cavaliers are doing everything they can to try to re-sign Mitchell. This is a team (Spurs) with a lot of draft assets. So guys, looking at the salary cap sheet, and this may be too clean and easy. Life does not always work out this way but, Devin Vassell plus assets to Cleveland for Darius Garland is pretty close to working. In fact, it may work straight up, I haven’t run the numbers but it’s close,”.

“As I look at the Spurs, we’re talking about what’s the long-term solution at point guard. Well, if Mitchell doesn’t want to play with Garland, that could be a pretty good fit. And they have Chris Paul as the bridge guy in the short term, Garland is the long-term answer. You know CP can mentor him and teach him the rope for a year or two and then hand the reins over to Garland.”, added McDonough.

Garland, who spent his first four years in Cleveland can also look for a change. He averaged 18 points, 6.5 assists, and 2.7 rebounds while shooting over 44% from the field. Although this wasn’t his best season, Garland can be a great asset once given more load. Not only that but Darius would match Victor’s timeline which will be great for the long term. The Spurs have taken a back seat in the last few years, as they continue to rebuild. Drafting the Frenchman was a successful addition along with veteran, Chris Paul. But as they move on, adding an All-Star guard would be a step in the right direction.

How can Chris Paul help Garland and Wembanyama?

Vassell is currently the best shooter on the Spurs, averaging 37% from deep. Whereas Wembanyama who is just behind Vassell can’t compensate for the team’s hollow shooting. However, if Garland is to play for the Spurs, coming in exchange for Vassell, Paul can mentor the youngster around taking more shots. Jeremy Sochan is a great finisher and is quite smart with his shot-making ability. Garland can rely on Wembanyama when feeding the ball in the paint, and trust Sochan in the wing.

Chris Paul on the other hand will help facilitate the offense, focusing on Victor’s inside game and Garland’s shooting. Still, the Spurs will need a solid shooting guard. They can initiate another trade, bringing in an experienced player for this role. On the other hand, San Antonio is well below the first apron and luxury tax limit. This gives them enough cap space to afford a reliable player alongside the Garland trade. It will be interesting to see whether the Spurs and the Cavs come to a mutual agreement.

What are your thoughts on Garland’s possible trade to the Spurs? Do you think he will be a great fit alongside the Rookie of the Year? Let us know in the comments.

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