Watch one game less, Chris Paul breaks his silence and retires soon after his career

Spurs guard Chris Paul is still eager to play, but his NBA career is coming to an end and his retirement is imminent. Chris Paul was the player selected by the New Orleans Hornets with the fourth overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft. After 20 seasons in the NBA, Paul is now just one step away from becoming a Hall of Fame member. Paul, 40, is about to retire, and his career is one of the most brilliant point guards in NBA history.

However, Paul proved himself to be a very influential player during his 2024-25 season with the San Antonio Spurs. Therefore, it is expected that he will attract the attention of several playoff hotspots as an unrestricted free agent during the offseason.

As for Paul's near-term prospects in the league and how long he plans to play, the 20-year-old veteran admitted that his family will have a significant impact on his eventual retirement.

"My family is more important than anything else," Paul said on the Pat McAfee Show on Thursday. "My son just turned 16 and his daughter was 12. I have not been with them for the past six seasons. I've been to San Antonio, Phoenix, Golden State Warriors - they've been with me in Houston before - and Oklahoma City... I've played for several teams, but I haven't been with them for the past six years. It's a little different. That's the conversation between us."

Paul made it clear that he was in good health and he still believed he could play the level he wanted in the NBA. However, when McAfee asked if he thought he could play for a while, Paul hesitated.

"Well, I don't think I want to play for the moment. To be honest - I want to be a dad. I still like playing. I got up at 6 am this morning and went to the gym. Yesterday I was there too. The day before yesterday. It was crazy. Did you know that my daughter is still playing basketball now, so before I flew over, I accompanied her to practice in the gym for 20 minutes. When I was taking care of the kids, sometimes you have to do a short training period, so I practiced with her for 20 minutes of ball control, which is so precious."

"These time is gone forever."

Although Paul may not have made it clear how long he can still play in the NBA, Paul wants to spend more time with his family, which may make the 2025-26 season his last season. As players age, you never know how long they can play in the league, just like LeBron James is often asked when he will eventually retire.

James and Paul are best friends, and they are also two of the 11 players in NBA history who have played for at least 20 seasons. Is it possible for these two legendary superstars to join forces with the Los Angeles Lakers at the end of their respective careers?

Time will tell us what Chris Paul's near future prospects are, as he doesn't seem to retire this offseason.