Paul officially joins the Clippers: teaming up with Harden again is incredible; next season may not be his last.

On July 29, Beijing time, the Clippers held a press conference to welcome the veteran back to the team. Paul walked into the arena, toured the locker room, and then spoke to reporters. Many fans had been waiting outside the venue, eager to witness the return of this veteran player.

At the press conference, the first thing Paul did was praise the San Antonio Spurs, saying, “If I hadn’t spent time in San Antonio last year and had that experience, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to play here this year.”

When discussing his decision to join the Clippers, Paul said, “It was an easy choice... The most direct factor was my family, being able to spend more time with them. Honestly, I did everything I could to come back here to play.”

When asked about the possibility of the Clippers retiring his jersey in the future, Paul responded, “That means everything... From day one, the fans here have embraced me and my family in that way... and all my teammates. Blake (Griffin), DJ (DeAndre Jordan), everyone over the years. There’s so much history here. I hope we can create more.”

Paul also talked about Clippers owner Steve Ballmer. “Steve (Ballmer) was great back then, and he’s still great now... We’ve kept in touch through texts and communication.”

Paul mentioned that he has already spoken with some Clippers players (specifically mentioning Beal and Harden) and feels excited about the team’s roster. Referring to Harden, Paul said, “We talked about our time together in Houston... We push each other in different situations... Having this opportunity to collaborate again is just unbelievable!”

Additionally, he expressed his eagerness to play for Tyronn Lue. “He coached me as an assistant... I think Tyronn Lue is the kind of coach that every team has to prepare specifically for... Many teams respect Tyronn Lue and his coaching abilities.”

When discussing playing in the NBA at 40, Paul stated, “That would be cool. As I said, having the chance to play at this age, I’m very grateful. I’ve always believed in accumulating day by day. You just have to give your all every day; that’s what I plan to bring to this team.” Previously, Paul mentioned in an ESPN interview that he does not rule out continuing to play in the NBA after the 2025-26 season, meaning next season may not be his last.