The Golden State Warriors' season came to a close on Tuesday night after they failed to overcome the Sacramento Kings in the 9/10 matchup of the play-in tournament. They lost rather convincingly, 118-94, with Stephen Curry unable to recapture the magic of his previous playoff game against the Kings and Klay Thompson putting up the worst playoff performance of his career. Even the Dubs' major offseason acquisition, Chris Paul, wasn't able to provide much help, tallying just three points and two assists in 18 minutes of play.
With Paul approaching his 40s (he'll soon turn 39 on May 6), the final chapter to the future Hall of Famer's career is drawing ever so closely. However, the Point God believes that he has some gas left in the tank, staving off retirement for at least one more year.
According to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, Chris Paul believes that he'll still return for his 20th NBA season, although he'll have to consult with his loved ones first before making any major decisions regarding his career.
“I’ll talk to my wife and my kids, my family, my support system, see what it looks like. But this isn’t (the end of my career). I know it for sure,” Paul said following the Warriors' defeat to the Kings, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
With Chris Paul all but guaranteed to return for another campaign, the Warriors will have major decisions to make as they are projected to foot the bill for one of the league's most expensive rosters yet again for the 2024-25 season.
Chris Paul's Warriors stint to go one and done?
When the Warriors acquired Chris Paul in the trade that sent Jordan Poole away, one of the benefits they received was future cap flexibility. Poole was set to clog the Dubs' cap sheet for the next four years, but acquiring Paul's contract gives the Warriors an opportunity to shed plenty of dollars from their luxury-tax bill.
Paul's $30 million contract for next season is completely non-guaranteed, with the Warriors having until June 28 to decide on whether or not they'll be keeping the veteran floor general in town. They could either cut Paul outright or package his contract in a trade for someone who could help extend the team's window of contention.
For as long as Stephen Curry is playing at a high level, the Dubs won't be embarking on a rebuild. It's apparent, however, that there will be no quick fixes for this current Warriors roster. The willingness of ownership to splash the cash for a middling product remains unclear, but if the Dubs brass decide to cut costs, Paul could be the first one to go due to his contract's unique structure.
Does the Point God have something left in the tank?
Chris Paul's fit with the Warriors looked iffy from the get-go; Paul is no longer the lockdown defender he was on the past, making him a target, and his fit with Stephen Curry on that end isn't exactly ideal. Thus, the Warriors had to bring Paul off the bench for the majority of the season, and as a result, the 38-year old posted the worst numbers of his career (9.2 points, 6.8 assists).
Paul's scoring volume and efficiency continues to decline, and his impact continues to diminish as a result. In the event that the Warriors let him go, contending teams in need of some solid point guard play (Milwaukee Bucks? Miami Heat? Oklahoma City Thunder?), perhaps off the bench, could benefit from acquiring Paul and giving him another shot at winning a championship before his career comes to a close.
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