Isaiah Thomas believes the Spurs were one veteran voice away from turning a Finals loss into a championship.
San Antonio’s run to the NBA Finals came quicker than most expected.
Thomas thinks one familiar guard could have helped them finish the job.
Isaiah Thomas thinks Chris Paul was needed on the Spurs
Speaking on the Point Game Pod, Thomas argued that San Antonio’s decision not to re-sign Chris Paul changed the course of its season.
“I believe if they had Chris Paul on this roster, they would’ve won the finals… His experience & who he is would’ve helped De’Aaron Fox, Castle, Harper.”
It is a bold claim, especially since the Knicks won the series in five games and looked stronger as the Finals tightened. Still, it is easy to see where Thomas is coming from.
Paul spent the 2024-25 season in San Antonio, during a 34-win campaign that was focused more on development than results. His scoring role was modest, but his influence was significant. He started every game, organized the offense, and became a daily mentor for Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle.
That influence mattered in ways that do not always show up in the box score. Paul taught pace, late-clock patience, film habits, and how to manage possession after possession in the NBA.
The Spurs did not make a strong push to bring him back last summer, with reports suggesting there was not much interest in a reunion after De’Aaron Fox arrived and Dylan Harper joined the backcourt. Paul returned to the Clippers for what became his final season.
San Antonio also passed on him when his situation with the Clippers fell apart, and he became available during last season. Letting him stay off the team all year is the decision Thomas is questioning now.
Spurs’ core now owns the veteran lessons
The Finals may have done for San Antonio what Paul would have done more quietly.
Wembanyama, Fox, Castle and Harper now know what playoff pressure feels like at its sharpest. Wembanyama averaged 26.0 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.6 blocks in the Finals, Harper grew into a real scoring option, and Castle learned how small mistakes get punished in June.
The Spurs are no longer just a young team with a future. They are a young team with scars.
Gregg Popovich’s presence still gives the franchise its strongest veteran voice, while Harrison Barnes and other older players have helped keep the locker room grounded. That does not replace Paul’s particular command, but it means San Antonio is not empty of guidance.
Thomas may be right that Paul could have helped the Spurs steal one or two late-game moments. The harder truth for the rest of the league is that San Antonio may not need that lesson twice.
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