President recruitment + middle-class salary! Paul may return to Los Angeles and join forces with Harden Leonard to strive for the championship

Lawrence Frank, president of basketball operations at Los Angeles Clippers, revealed on Saturday that the team is "strongly considering" reunion with legendary point guard Chris Paul to complete the roster upgrade this summer.

"Chris is a great player and a great Clippers." Frank said of Paul, "He has the core traits we are looking for, and we are evaluating this possibility extremely seriously." As the soul of the "Air Connection City" era, Paul is still the assist king in the Clippers' history (5,621 times) and steal king (1,504 times). His peak combination with Blake Griffin and DeAndrew Jordan once made the Clippers one of the most eye-catching teams in the league.

Clippers have completed several heavy signings this summer:

· Bradley Beal (11 million in 2 years, including player options): The 32-year-old All-Star guard will fill the gap in shooting guards, and his career average of 21.5 points + 37.6% three-point shooting percentage is expected to form a "big three" firepower network with Harden and Leonard.

· John Collins (26.5 million contract expiration): a space-type insider at the fourth position, averaging 19.2 points + 8.3 rebounds per game last season, perfectly adapting to the Clippers' fast-paced system.

· Brooke Lopez (18 million in 2 years, team option): top center with frame protection + three-point shooting, averaged 1.9 blocks per game in his career + 33.6% three-point shooting percentage, which will greatly improve the stability of both offense and defense at the inside line.

It is worth noting that while retaining salary flexibility, the Clippers still have about $12 million in middle-class special cases available. If Paul is signed, it is expected to be signed with a 1-year, 20 million veteran contract, which will not only meet Paul's need to pursue the championship, but will not affect the team's plan to pursue super giants in the next two years.

CP3's three key points to returning to Los Angeles:

1. Tactical adaptability: Paul's pick-and-roll initiation ability (9.4 assists per game in his career) complements Harden's singles and Leonard's finishing ability. The Clippers ranked 22nd in the league in assists last season, and Paul's joining can directly improve offensive fluency.

2. Dressing room leader: The Clippers, who have experienced many playoff defeats, urgently need a veteran who can stabilize the morale of the army at critical moments. The leadership Paul showed during the Thunder and Sun periods was exactly what this "mercenary legion" lacked the most.

3. Personal Will: Paul once publicly stated that "Los Angeles will always be my home", and Harden has sent him a recruitment signal through private channels. Although the two have not won the championship in their collaboration with the Rockets, the pick-and-roll tacit understanding is still regarded as one of the top combinations in the league.

Although Paul averaged 13.9 points + 8.9 assists per game with the Warriors last season, the decline in age and lateral movement ability at the age of 39 is still a hidden danger. Among the Clippers' existing lineup, Bill (32 years old), Harden (36 years old) and Leonard (33 years old) have all entered the late stages of their careers. How to balance experience and physical fitness will be the biggest topic of head coach Tyron Lue.

However, Frank is full of confidence in this: "We have the healthiest Kawaii (Leonard) in the league." Leonard did not undergo surgery this summer and his condition improved significantly. If Paul joins as a substitute point guard, he can greatly share the pressure on Harden's playing time.