Golden State Warriors guard Chris Paul isn’t retiring, but has uncertain future — Andscape

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Golden State Warriors guard Chris Paul accomplished his nineteenth NBA season in disappointing style, two weeks shy of his thirty ninth birthday. Whereas the NBA’s third-oldest participant is now a reserve guard and certain previous his All-Star prime, don’t count on him to retire.

“That isn’t even in query,” Paul stated of his future after the Warriors’ 118-94 season-ending loss to the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday evening within the play-in event. “I simply wish to get again to enjoying.”

The place he can be enjoying subsequent season is in query as a result of his unsure contractual standing with the Warriors.

Golden State is dedicated to $174 million in wage subsequent season. The Warriors’ greatest free agent is guard Klay Thompson. Dario Šarić, a ahead, is a free agent. Gary Payton II has the selection to decide into his $9.1 million wage for 2024-25 or decline the choice and turn out to be a free agent. All-Star guard Stephen Curry, ahead Jonathan Kuminga and guard Moses Moody are all eligible for contract extensions.

In 58 video games primarily as a reserve, Paul averaged 9.2 factors, a team-high 6.8 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 26.4 minutes. Paul led all NBA reserves in assists and was twelfth general within the league. The Warriors have till June 28 to determine whether or not to train his $30 million crew possibility for subsequent season or waive him.

Whereas Golden State might attempt to re-sign the 12-time All-Star as a free agent, they run the danger of him signing elsewhere in what can be his first time entertaining free company. By exercising Paul’s contract, they may preserve him and likewise attempt to flip him in a commerce. Finally, Warriors possession and common supervisor Mike Dunleavy Jr. will determine Paul’s destiny.

“I cherished being there this yr,” Paul stated. “Clearly, as soon as the mud settles, we’ll discuss. I wish to see what Mike and them are considering.”

Paul informed Andscape he really loved enjoying with the Warriors longtime stars Curry, Thompson and ahead Draymond Inexperienced. Paul additionally appeared snug when he rode within the San Francisco Bay waters on Thompson’s boat not too long ago. San Francisco can be quick flight from Los Angeles, the place Paul’s spouse and two youngsters stay.

The Warriors, who’ve received 4 NBA titles since 2015, missed the playoffs for the third time up to now 5 seasons. For Paul, it was “bizarre” as a result of he missed the postseason for the primary time since 2010. He has made 15 profession postseason appearances and performed within the 2021 NBA Finals.

“It’s an eerie feeling proper now,” Paul stated. “I tore my meniscus in New Orleans again within the 2009-10 season. That was the final time I missed the playoffs. That is bizarre proper now. I get to go be dad sooner than typical. It’s robust. It’s life on this league. You get again to work and determine what it appears like subsequent [season] …

“However enjoying with Steph, Draymond and Klay is one thing I’ll always remember. I’m glad I received that chance.”

If the Warriors’ aim is to save cash on salaries, protecting Paul on the crew at a $30 million wage could possibly be counterproductive. However when it comes to his worth to the Warriors, coach Steve Kerr and several other gamers — Curry, Inexperienced, Kuminga and rookie Brandin Podziemski — raved about Paul.

Kerr was impressed by Paul’s management, mentoring of younger gamers and professionalism after coming off the bench for the primary time in his profession. Kerr, who has coached the Warriors for 10 seasons and performed within the NBA for 15 seasons, added that Paul was one in all “the best execs” he has been round.

“It’s a tough scenario for him that he dealt with superbly,” Kerr stated. “He’s at all times been the start line guard for his crew. However you have a look at our crew, we’re fairly small and although he’s one in all our greatest gamers — if we wish to throw our greatest gamers on the market, and he’s one in all them — you begin including up Chris, Steph, Klay. It’s not the perfect roster for [Paul], however he was incredible for us as a result of he grew to become our backup level guard. As I’ve stated many occasions, our non-starter minutes had been the very best they’ve ever been due to Chris’ management …

“However the best way he dealt with it this yr was so skilled. [Paul is] such an excellent mentor for the youthful guys, one of many biggest execs I’ve ever been round … simply his method and his angle and his sacrifice. I really like teaching Chris and I actually hope we convey him again subsequent yr. There’s a lengthy offseason. We’ve received to see the way it all performs out.”

Curry stated he loved lastly enjoying with Paul and hopes that his “good friend” can be again in San Francisco. The 2-time MVP and Paul, each North Carolina natives, went from Western Convention rivals when Paul was with the LA Clippers and Houston Rockets to teammates this season.

“He’s an expert who simply goes about every thing the fitting means,” Curry informed Andscape. “He’s a hoop head that’s at all times enjoyable to play with. You may at all times discuss basketball and determine it out. I appreciated enjoying in opposition to him in his prime. I at all times cherished being in the identical locker room [as him] as a result of I used to be constructed like that.

“As a good friend, he’s been my man from day one. We had a little bit enemy scenario. Simply understanding how he approaches every thing. He was enjoyable to play with all yr lengthy.”

The one Warriors participant who can come near being as fiery as Inexperienced is Paul. Inexperienced has acquired his share of technical fouls and was suspended by the NBA for 12 video games this season after hitting Phoenix Suns middle Jusuf Nurkić within the face on Dec. 12, 2023. However within the latter a part of the season, it wasn’t unusual to see Paul play a giant brother function with Inexperienced and helped calm him down.

“Chris was nice,” Inexperienced stated. “I’m grateful, honored and comfortable as hell that I received the chance to play with him this yr, that all of us received the chance to be teammates with Chris. That’s one thing in 1,000,000 years that I’ve stated 1,000,000 occasions that I wouldn’t have imagined. Aside from profitable [a championship], it couldn’t have gone any higher.

“I discovered a lot from him. I constructed a relationship that can transcend whether or not he’s right here subsequent yr or not, whether or not I’m right here subsequent yr or not. I haven’t come throughout many guys like that on this league. It’s simply an honor to play with him. As a teammate, I hope we will proceed to do what we do in these uniforms. I hope and pray that he’s again and I’m again as a result of it’s an honor having him as a teammate. The way in which he competes, you’re keen on going to warfare with a man like that.”

Whereas the Warriors’ roster consists principally of veterans, there have been a number of younger gamers who made an influence throughout their 46-36 season together with Kuminga and rookies Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis. Paul has a popularity for mentoring younger gamers, and Kuminga and Podziemski had been grateful for what they discovered from him.

“I discovered the tempo of the sport,” Kuminga informed Andscape. “CP is without doubt one of the guys who’s so poised in the best way he performs the sport. He brings a lot data to the courtroom and simply life.”

Podziemski informed Andscape: “CP is nice. He breaks issues down a lot to a fundamental stage that anybody can perceive it. I really feel like my IQ was fairly superior for a rookie. So, the conversations that we had about basketball, issues that may assist me in my future — little issues like 2-for-1s and 3-for-2s, tendencies — all that type of stuff that he poured into me this yr goes to assist me going ahead.”

Paul, a future Corridor of Famer, has performed with the New Orleans Hornets, Clippers, Rockets, the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, Suns and Warriors. Time will quickly inform if Paul will put on a Warriors jersey once more or transfer elsewhere in hopes of profitable his first NBA title.

Whereas ready for the Warriors’ verdict, Paul stated, he’ll benefit from the sudden time together with his household in Los Angeles whereas staying open-minded to a return to Golden State.

“I cherished every thing about being right here,” Paul stated. “However I suppose I received to see what it appears like.”