Paul s career has a lot to do with money, and everything he gets in his career is big contracts

On June 5, on the NBA, a stage full of competition and dreams, the championship ring is the ultimate honor that many players pursue throughout their lives. However, there are also some stars who are outstanding in strength, but they always miss the championship, and Chris Paul is one of them. The legendary player, known as the "God of Point Guard", has not been able to win the O'Brien Cup in his career so far. The reasons behind this are complicated, but it is undeniable that the money factor plays an important role in it. Paul has always been with high salaries in his career. He has never chosen to cut his salary significantly in order to pursue the championship. Although this choice is understandable, it has indeed become an obstacle to his victory.

Paul began his career in 2005 when he was selected by the New Orleans Hornets (now the Pelicans) and quickly grew into the league's top point guard. His play style is stable, his organizational ability is outstanding, and his defensive end is extremely aggressive, and he soon became the core of the team. In 2011, Paul was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers and formed an "alternate city" with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, which once made the Clippers a strong team in the Western Conference. However, despite the luxurious team, the Clippers have never been able to break through the barriers to the Western Conference Finals. In 2017, Paul joined the Houston Rockets, forming a double-gun in the backcourt with James Harden, and fought the Golden State Warriors in seven games in the 2018 Western Conference Finals, but was finally defeated. This may be the closest Paul has ever won a championship in his career, but injuries and luck have once again become a roadblock. Since then, Paul has been to the Thunder, Suns and other teams. Although he led the Suns to the finals in 2021, he eventually lost to the Bucks and passed by the championship again.

Throughout Paul's career, he has always been one of the highest paid players in the league. In 2013, he signed a five-year, $107 million maximum salary contract with the Clippers; in 2018, he signed a four-year, $160 million super maximum salary contract with the Rockets; in 2021, the Suns renewed his four-year, $120 million contract with him. These contracts not only reflect Paul's value, but also make him one of the highest-paid players in the league. However, high salary also means that the team's salary space is tight, making it difficult to introduce other top stars. Under the NBA salary cap system, the team's salary structure directly affects the depth and competitiveness of the lineup. Paul's high salary makes the team stretched in strengthening, especially when facing powerful men such as the Warriors and the Lakers, the gap in lineup depth often becomes the key to victory or defeat.

In sharp contrast to Paul are those players who choose to cut their salary for the sake of the championship. For example, Dwyane Wade had cut his salary many times during the Heat, helping the team make room to introduce LeBron James and Chris Bosh, and eventually won two consecutive championships; Kevin Durant also chose to cut his salary when joining the Warriors, providing flexibility for the team to retain the core lineup; even Paul's former teammate James Harden took the initiative to cut his salary during the Nets and the Sixers, trying to win a better chance for the team to win the championship. Although the salary cuts of these players sacrifice personal interests, they have gained more room for operation for the team, thereby increasing the probability of winning the championship.

Of course, Paul's choice is completely understandable. NBA players have limited careers, and high-paying contracts are not only a recognition of their abilities, but also an important basis for ensuring their future life. Paul's performance on the court deserves every penny of his salary, and his professional attitude and leadership skills are also highly praised. However, the cruelty of competitive sports is that history often only remembers the winner. Although Paul's personal achievements are impeccable - 11 All-Stars, 4 assists, 6 steals, and multiple selections to the All-Squad and the All-Defensive Team - the lack of the championship will still be a major regret in his career.

From a deeper perspective, Paul's no championship also reflects a phenomenon in the modern NBA: the contradiction between a super maximum salary contract and team competitiveness. As the salary cap rises, the salary of stars has risen, but the limitations of salary space have also made it difficult for the team to form a multi-giant lineup. Paul's case shows that how to weigh the salary and the championship is a difficult problem that many stars must face. Some players choose to cut their salary and pursue their dreams, while others choose to protect their lives with high salaries. There is no right or wrong between these two choices, but they are just a reflection of personal values.

Paul's career is not over yet, and he still has the opportunity to join a championship team through trades or free agent signing in the future. But anyway, his career is already brilliant enough that even without a championship, he is still one of the greatest point guards in NBA history. For fans, Paul's story also reminds us that the charm of competitive sports lies not only in the glory of the champion, but also in every choice the players make for their dreams and livelihoods.