The Houston Rockets have enjoyed perhaps the best offseason of any team in the NBA thanks to the mammoth Kevin Durant trade that gives last year's No. 2 team in the Western Conference legitimate championship aspirations.
This is an organization that has come close many times in recent years, notably taking a 3-2 lead on the Golden State Warriors in the conference finals back in 2018 before a hamstring injury to Chris Paul derailed the series.
Now, Paul is looking for a new home for what's likely to be his final season in the league. According to one new report, he recently rejected joining a pathetic organization desperate for relevance and veteran leadership, preferring to play for a contender in the West.
The Hornets showed interest in bringing in Chris Paul but he declined, per @TheSteinLine pic.twitter.com/aW2mbcLjld
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 12, 2025
Chris Paul Reportedly Refused to Join Charlotte Hornets in Free Agency
"League sources say that both the (Phoenix) Suns and the (Los Angeles) Clippers continue to weigh the prospect of reuniting with Chris Paul," NBA insider Marc Stein writes on his Substack. "Yet it remains unclear what happens if a deal with neither of those previous employers materializes for the 40-year-old. Paul has already rebuffed an approach from his home-state Charlotte Hornets earlier in free agency and likewise has interest from Milwaukee but has shown little inclination to this point to consider overtures from Eastern Conference teams."
Paul wants to stay close to his family in Los Angeles, hence why he's preferring Western Conference teams. A return to the Clippers would make a lot of sense, though a reunion with the Rockets would as well. Fred VanVleet is a great option at point guard, but bringing Paul back to Houston could represent the best chance for both he and the organization to get a ring.
Everywhere Paul has gone, he's helped mentor young players. From the San Antonio Spurs to the Oklahoma City Thunder to Houston to Phoenix, Paul's steady presence always provides a boost. Guys like Amen Thompson or Reed Sheppard stand to learn a lot, and there's no better way to help the youth grow.
That said, it doesn't sound like Paul would be interested. It makes sense that he's moving away from his home state of North Carolina and refusing to play for Charlotte, whose lead point guard, LaMelo Ball, could certainly use some leadership. This is Paul's last chance to win a title, and the Rockets may provide him the best opportunity.
We'll see what happens but for now, Paul has made his intentions clear.