Free Chris Paul

Yes, I know this is a "buy low," what with the Clips on a five-game win streak. It's just that, the win streak really emphasized Chris Paul's brilliance in a way that made me wish he was somewhere else--or at least on a Clippers roster better suited to his talents. 

The newest player-of-the-week winner averaged 21.5 points on 56% shooting, while dishing 11.3 assists over that span, all the while rescuing Lob City from the precipice. More importantly, there was this: 

I think we're all better people for having seen that. 

Despite their recent flurry of wins, despite CP3's habitual brilliance, nobody thinks this LAC team is a contender. They have Vinny Del Negro as coach, and they're 21st in defensive efficiency. Though they have a ceiling, Paul keeps the team afloat by breathing offense into it. This is all without a shooting frontcourt, a necessity for modern NBA offense. Without a shooting big man, it is difficult to achieve decent spacing on pick and roll situations. Fun as Blake Griffin is to behold, LA's offense would be far better off with say, LaMarcus Aldridge. 

So at an offensive disadvantage, this team is 6th in the league in offensive efficiency and not that far from the top spot. I do not blame Paul for LAC's defensive issues because point guard D is the least important of all the defensive positions (it helps to be larger when the game is about taking up space). 

This is another brilliant, futile season from one of the best point guards ever, and one that might cause many to conclude that Paul was overrated the whole time. They would be wrong, and I hope that he winds up with a better roster so as to best flaunt his talents, and best pad his playoff resume.