Paul had to decide whether to opt out of the last year of his contract with the Clippers and go as a free agent, or to just let the team trade him to the Rockets — a choice that had complicated financial ramifications.
But Jay-Z reminded Paul that, when it came down to it, it wasn't about the money.
"What Jay said was, 'You know, whether you sign a $200 million dollar contract there or a $120 million, $150 million contract somewhere else, nothing compares to the price for happiness,'" says Paul, who ultimately allowed the Clippers to trade him so the team could get seven players in return. "He knows that if basketball isn't going well and isn't happy and fun, then the rest of my life isn't [either].
"First and foremost have to try to find your happiness and what makes you tick," says Paul, "and that'll push you to the next level."
Paul seems to have found that. It was reported that he had a rocky relationship with Clippers coach Doc Rivers, and he'd expressed disappointment in the Clippers' culture. With the Rockets, however, Paul told ESPN in December, "I've been on a team that won 17 games in a row, and it didn't feel like that. You know what I mean? Just because it's all about playing the right way, it's all about building."
Now, Paul's salary for 2017-18 is a little over $24.5 million. This summer, when he does become a free agent, he's eligible for a five-year, $205 million contract with the Rockets. In 2017, Forbes ranked Paul the ninth highest paid basketball player.
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