For some reason, the Philadelphia 76ers took it upon themselves to re-sign Kyle Lowry to another contract this summer despite the veteran having swiftly become an unplayable commodity. That was definitely a gross mistake, especially in view of the much better option that has suddenly become available in the form of Chris Paul.
Much to the extreme shock of many, the LA Clippers — without officially waiving him or shipping him away to another ball club — basically sent the future Hall-of-Famer home, casting a dark cloud on what was supposed to be his farewell season in the NBA. People were rightfully enraged about the perceived lack of professionalism on the part of the Clippers, but more importantly, it is such a waste that CP3 will most likely end his career on an ugly note.
As it turns out, Paul would have been much better off not returning to LA, his home city. Certain teams, like the 76ers, could have given him a less minor role in his final hurrah as a pro, but here we are. While Paul could still find himself donning an NBA uniform this season, it probably will not come in Philly thanks to Lowry already filling his hypothetical role.
The 76ers could have had Chris Paul had they not signed Kyle Lowry
The 76ers were in search for more reinforcements at point guard, but the fact that they used up a roster spot to sign Lowry perplexed many. After all, he can no longer be a rotation player, so the team was basically spending a lot of money for a quasi-assistant coach.
Paul still had something left in the tank as he proved last season when he played and started in all 82 games for the San Antonio Spurs. It was still sensible to expect him to be perfectly capable of being a floor general to man the second unit.
Instead, the 76ers went for Lowry, while Paul decided to return home to make his final season sweeter. Now, it would be a reach to make that direct linkage, but there is definitely a scenario where the 76ers could have had Paul instead of having to rely on Lowry to be the voice of reason for the team’s guards. In that regard, Paul would have still been much better given that he could actually still play.
Anyway, time cannot be reversed, and the 76ers cannot afford to dwell on this undoing. But on a separate note, hopefully, Chris Paul can have a proper send-off for his final season, perhaps with a team that can treat him with the respect he deserves.