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The Golden State Warriors are officially releasing 12-time All-Star Chris Paul, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania. The Warriors were unable to find a trade partner for Paul despite pushing his guarantee date back to June 30, 2024 from June 28.
NBA teams were likely resistant to taking on Paul’s $30 million salary for 2024-25. Paul was heading into the final season of a four-year, $120 million contract.
The star will now be a free agent who can sign with the team of his choosing. The good news for Golden State is the team now has the full $12.8 million mid-level exception to utilize in NBA free agency.
“Golden State waiving Chris Paul now positions the Warriors to access their full $12.8 million mid-level exception should it also lose Klay Thompson, the Warriors plan to be creative in how to spend that salary slot, sources said,” Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer detailed in a June 30 message on X.
The Warriors Thought They Were Closing in on a Blockbuster NBA Trade With Clippers for Paul George: Insider
This news comes one day after the Warriors thought they were on the verge of acquiring Paul George in a blockbuster deal with the Los Angeles Clippers. According to The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami, Golden State was under the impression that George would soon be moving to the Bay Area. Instead, George opted out of his deal to become a free agent, which killed trade talks between the Los Angeles and Golden State.
“And Paul George, the Warriors’ home run target for acquisition this offseason, wiped out the final year of his contract with the LA Clippers and became an unrestricted free agent, which basically cut off any realistic path for the Warriors because they don’t have the cap room to sign him as a free agent,” Kawakami wrote in a June 29 story titled, “Inside the Warriors’ foiled Paul George attempt, Klay Thompson’s inevitable departure.”
“This came after very serious negotiations among the Warriors, George and the Clippers all the way through Saturday afternoon’s deadline for George’s contract decision and after the Warriors believed — several times — that they were on the verge of landing the 34-year-old small forward, team sources said.”
Klay Thompson Is Leaving the Warriors, Says Shams Charania
After months of rumors, Charania reported that Klay Thompson is officially moving on from the Warriors. Thompson has yet to announce his next destination, but the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers have been floated as potential landing spots.
“After 13 iconic seasons together, sources say Klay Thompson is departing the Warriors and the sides will begin to work through sign-and-trade options,” Charania detailed in a June 30 message on X.
As the Warriors look to facilitate a sign-and-trade, Thompson will begin his NBA free agency process. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Mavs, Lakers, Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers will meet with Thompson at the beginning of free agency.
“Klay Thompson plans to have discussions with the Mavericks, Lakers, Clippers and 76ers in the opening hours of free agency, sources tell ESPN,” Wojnarowski said on X on June 30.
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