The 40-year-old guard says he is grateful for the combination of more time with his family while playing for a veteran-laden team with legitimate championship aspirations.

While the 40-year-old Paul could choose to end his career after this season, it is not something he is committing to now.

Paul frequently glanced down at his family sitting in the first row — wife Jada, 16-year-old son Chris Jr. and 12-year-old daughter Camryn. They continued living in Los Angeles when he left the Clippers six years ago. That led to watching their father on TV and sharing quick phone conversations before school.