Chris Paul is ready for the future. He's getting a fresh start with the Rockets after spending the past six seasons with the Clippers, and he's not hiding his excitement about it. In his first press conference since his trade to Houston, Paul spoke at length about his fit on the Rockets, what made him choose Houston and what the ultimate goal was.
However, one comment stood out and it was related to Paul's excitement. He said that this is the most excited he has been in a while. That's a little strange to hear considering the Clippers were usually considered contenders during his time in L.A.
"I haven't been this excited about basketball in a while, to tell you the truth," Paul said. "It's a new start, it's a fresh start and the timing couldn't be better for myself along with James."
This could just be a one-off comment, but it's possible that Paul was never as comfortable in Los Angeles as it appeared from the outside. Ever since his departure there have been rumors that he and coach Doc Rivers never quite meshed and Rivers' decision making, including how he treated his son, led to issues between the two.
However, it could just be that Paul got tired of ramming his head into the second-round wall with the Clippers. Los Angeles had a lot of success while he was there, but the Clippers never made the Western Conference finals while more than once blowing a series lead. It's not hard to see why he's excited to give it another try in a new location with a new team.
