As Chris Paul nears the end of his legendary playing career, the future Hall of Famer already is eyeing his next move, owning an NBA franchise.
During an interview with Forbes, Paul was asked about the potential for an ownership spot with the Charlotte Hornets or an NBA expansion team.
“Charlotte is definitely home, but I'm open,” Paul said (h/t Bleacher Report). “Especially if there's expansion or something like that, I'm definitely open. I've been involved with the league for too long, from every aspect of it. Just knowing the game, understanding the GMs, player relations, all of the different entities, that's definitely one of my goals. I want to own a team.”
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Paul grew up in North Carolina, so becoming an owner of the Hornets would be a dream come true for the 12-time All-Star point guard, who has spent the past 19 seasons playing in the NBA.
In the same interview, Paul expressed his excitement about the rapid growth of the WNBA, noting that he wants to be part of that league as well.
“Every year since I've been in the NBA, I've been to a WNBA game,” Paul explained. “I'm excited [about the WNBA's future], because doing the union work, I've been involved in their union and just talking about, 'How can we grow their game, how can we do this or that,' and they've just done it organically.
“People are finally starting to see just how amazing their game is. They have so many talented women, they play the game so smooth. Everything is really exciting and effortless, and I just think it's going to continue to grow. And I want to be a part of it. I would love to own a WNBA team.”
Golden State Warriors
Paul signed with the Warriors a year ago but was plagued by injuries and inconsistent play during his lone season with Golden State. While Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy would like to keep the veteran point guard, other franchises have expressed interest in the 39-year-old’s services.
In addition to his interest in potentially owning a team down the road, Paul has taken up a role as a basketball analyst this postseason on ESPN’s “NBA Countdown.”
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