SAN ANTONIO – Veteran point guard Chris Paul and forward Harrison Barnes spoke to the media on Tuesday in their first introduction as the newest San Antonio Spurs players.
In late June, ESPN reported that Paul, a 12-time NBA All-Star, had signed a one-year deal with the Spurs worth $11 million.
On Tuesday, Paul said he’s excited to join Coach Gregg Popovich’s team and play alongside newcomers like Victor Wembanyama. Watch his full comments below.
Paul, the former fourth overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft out of Wake Forest, played last year with the Golden State Warriors, appearing in 58 games with 18 starts while averaging 9.2 points and 6.8 assists.
The 19-year vet has career averages of 17.5 points, 9.4 assists and 4.5 rebounds while playing over 1,270 games with the Warriors, Phoenix Suns, Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers and New Orleans Hornets. A member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team, he has accumulated 22,288 total points and 11,894 assists and ranks third all-time in both assists and steals, behind only hall-of-famers Jason Kidd and John Stockton.
Over the weekend, news out of Sacramento came with the addition of Barnes as part of a three-team deal that includes the Kings and Bulls. San Antonio also received the rights to swap first-round picks with the Kings in 2031 and sent RaiQuan Gray to Chicago.
Barnes, a former NBA champion, likely will bring a veteran defensive mindset to an up-and-coming Spurs roster, padded by Wembanyama and recent draftees Stephon Castle and Harrison Ingram.
On Tuesday, Barnes said one of the things he’s most excited about is connecting with his new teammates. Watch his remarks below.
A 6-foot-8-inch forward who was the seventh overall selection in the 2012 NBA Draft out of North Carolina, Barnes averaged 12.2 points and 3.0 rebounds while shooting 38% from deep this past season. Over the last three seasons, he has appeared in 222 consecutive games, all starts, which is the second-longest active streak in the NBA.
Barnes holds career averages of 14 points and 4.9 rebounds in 32 minutes per game while playing with Golden State, Dallas and Sacramento.
The Spurs also waived big man Charles Massey in a preceding move.
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