The Golden State Warriors probably can’t afford to keep an aging Chris Paul on an expensive contract next season, and if they let him hit free agency this summer, they will face serious competition for the 39-year-old point guard.
Already among the candidates likely to inquire about Paul’s services are the Los Angeles Lakers, who currently employ his good friend LeBron James. However, NBA insider Marc Stein added the San Antonio Spurs to that list on Friday, May 24, via “The Stein Line.”
“The Spurs and the Lakers keep coming up as potential suitors for the Warriors’ Chris Paul if Paul becomes a free agent this offseason,” Stein wrote. “Paul’s $30 million salary for next season becomes fully guaranteed on June 28 if Golden State does not waive him … or if the Warriors trade him to a team that decides to keep him. The Warriors, league sources say, are currently evaluating those options.”
Keeping Chris Paul on Roster Under Current Deal Would Be Financial Malpractice on Part of Warriors
The problem for the Warriors with keeping Paul resides in the reality that even if the team would like to pay him $30 million and figured out a way to do it, doing so would simply be irresponsible.
Golden State was an NBA Play-In Tournament team that fell short of the actual playoffs by two wins. The roster is centered around a couple of stars climbing into their late-30s and a group of three or four young players who have all shown promise, but have yet to display true star potential.
The Warriors may also try to retain Klay Thompson to keep the Big 3 in tact until their respective careers end. However, whether the Dubs do or don’t pay Thompson to return, spending $30 million on a backup point guard nearing the age of 40 is just a bad business decision for a franchise already potentially staring down the barrel of a significant luxury tax bill.
Chris Paul Offers Spurs Value That Other Teams Don’t Necessarily Need
Paul isn’t going to make the Spurs a championship team in 2024-25. However, his ability to run that offense better than anyone currently on the roster, as well as help with the development of Victor Wembanyama — the reigning Rookie of the Year — could lead to a bigger offer coming out of San Antonio than anywhere else in the league.
The question contending teams, or ones that hope to contend next season, must ask themselves is whether Paul can still impact winning at a high level. It’s hard to say exactly what he will bring to the floor night in and night out if he returns to a starting role, given that he played behind starter Steph Curry in Golden State for most of last season.
Paul appeared in 58 regular season games and made 18 starts. He averaged 9.2 points, 6.8 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals across 26.4 minutes played each night, per Basketball Reference. Those figures are down across the board from the 12-time All-Star’s career numbers, which include 17.5 points, 9.4 assists 4.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals on 34.1 minutes of court time.
The point guard’s statistical totals would likely improve were he to join a team like the Lakers and once again assume a starting role. However, Paul has also been injury prone in recent years, particularly in the playoffs, which makes him a riskier proposition.
