Last interview of Paul's Sun career: regret not joining forces with Kobe Bryant Without a crown and injuries cannot define yourself
On June 8, Beijing time, according to Chris Haynes, the Suns will cut Paul and have been notified that he will become a free agent. With this news, the 38-year-old Paul will usher in a new chapter in his career.
It's worth mentioning that Paul was just given an interview before he was cut by the Suns, and he talked about many representative topics in his long career.
Asked about the championship, the host said: "You see how people treat Barkley, he's a good guy, his stats are good, he's a Hall of Famer. But every time people talk about Barkley, they say Barkley doesn't have a ring.
Paul said: "I know, but for me my advantage is that I'm still playing. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want a championship, I just feel lucky to be able to keep playing, but it's not that I didn't try to win the championship. But I also know that I feel so happy and lucky to have the opportunity to play. Not against some guys who have won championships, but I promise I can make a list of players who have won championships who sit at home and relax and wish they were still playing. ”
However, Paul did not have a huge impact on him, saying: "Not having a championship is difficult for me, but it can be even harder for the people around me, especially my wife, who sometimes stays up at night. And my children, like my daughter, are the most beautiful souls I have ever seen in my life. When she was at school at her age, her classmates would spray her. A little boy once said to her, 'Your dad will never win the championship.' ”
In the summer of 2011, Paul was expected to join the Lakers and Bryant in a potential deal for the Hornets to send Paul to the Lakers, who traded Gasol to the Rockets, and the Hornets got Odom, Kevin Martin, Scola, Dragic and a first-round pick (2012). The general manager of the Hornets had agreed to the deal, but it was ultimately vetoed by David Stern, then president of the league (the Hornets were hosted by the league at the time).
On not being able to join forces with Kobe, Paul said: "It's really crazy, I talked to Kobe on the phone, and every time we fight we almost fight because we all have the same energy. I remember I never lost an All-Star Game I played with Kobe Bryant, because I treated the All-Star Game the same way I did every other game, and we treated every game the same way. I was sad that the trade didn't happen, Kobe Bryant's catch-and-shoot was excellent, he just didn't have a chance to show it in the game. If we can work together, it will be very interesting. ”
Throughout Paul's career, he suffered numerous injuries at key moments that prevented the team from moving further. Paul said, "No one can be harder on myself than I am, and I feel like I've been through all the situations. When I was with the Clippers in the playoffs G3 against the Blazers, I tried to make a steal, but my finger got stuck in the opposing player's jersey, and then I suffered a spiral fracture and hit 16 nails in my hand. I've been through too many injuries and other difficulties, but one thing to say is that as angry as I am, I can't let these things define me. I'm going to get back into work, and when these things happen in my career, I'll digest them that night and get back to work the next morning. ”
Paul also spoke about the cruelty of competitive sports. "The Rockets said they wouldn't trade me, and they called me and asked if I would like to go to the Thunder," he recalled. I said at this point in my career, I didn't want to go there, and then they said they wouldn't trade me. A week later, I saw the news that I had been traded in the bleachers. This league is like that, in professional sports no one owes you anything. ”
Now Paul will usher in a change of team again, according to US media reports, the Lakers, Clippers, Celtics and other teams may become Paul's next home. Will Paul get a championship ring in the twilight of his career? Let's wait and see.