The Milwaukee Bucks were reportedly among the teams interested in signing Chris Paul this summer, but based on his play this season, passing on him was the right move. It never made too much sense for the Bucks to sign a 40-year-old as they embraced a youth-driven approach, and that has become even more apparent through 12 games.
CP3 struggling to find his stride with Clippers
After 20 years in the league, Paul was bound to slow down at some point. This season, his decline has been undeniable. In eight games, he's averaged just 3.6 assists, 2.3 points, and 1.2 boards per game. His impact has been so minimal that Paul hasn't logged a minute in the last three games. His return to the LA Clippers simply hasn't gone according to plan.
The Bucks dodged a bullet there. By cutting Damian Lillard and letting Brook Lopez walk — to join Paul on the Clippers — it was clear that Milwaukee wanted to reduce the age of its roster and hand the keys to the young guns. The oldest player on the current roster is 33. Paul would have blown that number out of the water. Simply, he would have stuck out like a sore thumb in Milwaukee.
Right off the bat, had Milwaukee signed Paul, it might have been a major roadblock for Ryan Rollins. With an increased opportunity, the starting guard has reached new heights this season. Had Paul been signed, it's not far-fetched to think Doc Rivers would have looked to give his former player a more prominent role, taking minutes from the youngsters in the process.
Instead of signing Paul, Milwaukee filled their backup point guard vacancy by adding Cole Anthony. While he hasn't been perfect, he fits in much better with the vision of this Bucks roster. He's young, fast, and brings energy every single possession. Those just aren't boxes that Chris Paul checks off at this stage of his NBA career. Anthony is averaging 9.9 points and 4.8 assists per game on the year.
One saving grace for Paul's fit in Milwaukee could have been his outside shot, an area he has always excelled in. However, to start this season, he is just 5-of-19 (26.3 percent). It appears he's even lost his touch from there, only further validating Milwaukee's decision.
Milwaukee's roster clearly isn't perfect after a turbulent 7-5 start, but passing on Paul is not the root of any of their flaws.
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