Will the Warriors validate the last year of his contract? Chris Paul at 30 million dollars? They have until June 28 to do so, and it would obviously be insane since it would hamper recruitment possibilities. At the end of June, management should therefore activate its “ team option » and let him free.
Which does not mean that he will not extend to the Warriors where Steve Kerr has greatly appreciated his role with the young people. But after the defeat against the Kings in the play-in, the Golden State coach also gave a clue for the future: “ When you look at our five on the court, Steph, Chris and Klay are usually never together. Chris will therefore not have the playing time he would like. »
Enough to open the doors to departure, and depending on Mark Stein, two franchises would be ready to welcome him. This is the Spurs where Gregg Popovich would dream of having such a playmaker to supervise his young squad, but also and above all to serve Victor Wembanyama in the best conditions. But the other track is just as interesting, since it concerns the Lakers where Chris Paul could, finally, play with his lifelong friend, LeBron James. Both challenges are interesting.
Important criterion: proximity to family
For his part, Chris Paul has already warned that this first season without playoffs was not the last of his career. At 39, the All-Star point guard recalled that proximity to his family remained a very important criterion. Which means that San Antonio leaves with a handicap over San Francisco or Los Angeles.
“I'm going to talk about it with my wife and my children, and those who support me, to see what happens. But this is not the end of my career, that’s a certainty” he reacted after the elimination against the Kings. “When the time comes, we'll discuss it with Mike (Dunleavy) and Steve (Kerr) and see what happens. But I loved it. Honestly, this is my fifth year living without my family, and I've probably seen them more than any other year. »
Team option : possibility for a team to activate (or not) the last year of the contract of one of its players, so that he ends his lease or becomes free agent a year in advance.
