“So thankful to the city of Houston for all your generosity and kindness toward my family and me these past few years! I’m truly blessed to have amazing fans who continue to support me throughout my career. I’m excited to be joining @okcthunder next season and for this new opportunity to compete alongside my Thunder teammates. I started my NBA career playing in Oklahoma City with the New Orleans Hornets and I look forward to returning!” Paul wrote.
Paul joined the NBA in 2005 and spent his first two seasons in Oklahoma City because his Hornets were displaced by Hurricane Katrina. That is what will make this a return for him.
Paul probably took a few weeks before sharing this note on Instagram because his future was in question following the trade to Oklahoma City. The Thunder were looking to trade him, but a combination of Paul’s salary and the Thunder’s unwillingness to include draft assets in a trade resulted in him being retained for now.
