NBA Star Chris Paul -- Future with Clippers Tied to House Deed?

Now that Blake Griffin has signed a five-year contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, the fate of the franchise rests on whether or not Chris Paul does the same next summer ... and TMZ may have uncovered a clue in the deed to his new home.

As TMZ first reported, Paul picked up a sweet Bel Air mansion that boasts 8 bedrooms and 10.5 bathrooms ... and used to belong to Avril Lavigne.

Paul paid $8.5 million for the house ... but according to the deed, he put a down payment of $3.5 million. The standard down payment on a house like that is usually around 30% of the total price, but Chris' payment represents 44% ... a pretty decent sign he plans to keep the house for some time.