Signed! Paul officially joins in a big way! After completing the 25-26 season, he will retire immediately.

Finally, you have arrived, and thankfully, I didn't give up.

Shams:Paul returns to the Clippers, and the 25-26 season will be his final dance as a player.

Noted reporter Haynes followed up with the report that:Paul has signed a one-year contract worth $3.6 million with the Clippers.

Since the end of his rookie contract, this historic point guard has not signed a deal with an annual salary below $10 million. Now, he willingly accepts a veteran minimum contract to return home and chase a championship.

It's worth mentioning that Paul's return is a second stint; he brought his talent to the Clippers back in the 11-17 season and teamed up with Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, and others to create the famous Lob City. Unfortunately, despite making the playoffs every season, the farthest they got was the second round.

Reporter Siegel outlined the Clippers' main roster framework for the new season as follows:

Starting lineup: Harden, Beal, Leonard, Collins, Zubac;

Bench: Paul, Bogdanovic, Jones, Dunn, Batum, Lopez.

Clippers, championship?

In summary, the Clippers now have a roster that is definitely top-tier in the league, but the issue lies in the generally "older" age of the key players. The newly joined Paul is 40, Harden is 35, and Leonard is 34, among others. Statistics show that the team has a total of 8 players over the age of 30.

As for injury concerns? There's no need to worry too much; the only significant risk in the Clippers lineup is Leonard. The rest are all reliable, especially the oldest, Paul, who surprisingly played all 82 games last season with the Spurs, averaging 28 minutes, contributing 8.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.3 steals.

From 2005 to the present in 2025, Paul has had a remarkable 20-year NBA career, during which he has won Rookie of the Year, made 11 All-NBA Teams, 9 All-Defensive Teams, been the assists leader 5 times, steals leader 6 times, a 12-time All-Star, earned 2 Olympic gold medals, and was named one of the 75 greatest players. It can be said that he is just one championship away from completing his legacy.

Lillard is back home, Paul is back home, and what about Westbrook...?

After declining his player option with the Nuggets and entering the unrestricted free market, Westbrook has yet to find a new home. Now, it remains to be seen if the newly crowned champions, the Thunder, are willing to lend him a hand.