Getty Chris Paul during a March 13 game against the Dallas Mavericks.
The 2023-24 season ended for the Golden State Warriors in the play-in tournament and left more questions than answers heading into the offseason.
Klay Thompson will steal the headlines ahead of free agency, as he’s unrestricted and is a serious threat to leave the Bay after 13 years with the team. But there’s the question of Chris Paul‘s future too.
The perennial All-Star had an up-and-down first campaign in Golden State, taking on a bench role for the first time in his 19-year career.
Paul averaged 9.2 points, 6.8 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 58 appearances with the Warriors.
As far as questions about whether or not he’ll be in the NBA next season, the 38-year-old is dead set on playing.
“I’ll talk to my wife and my kids, my family, my support system, see what it looks like,” Paul told Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “But this isn’t (the end of my career). I know it for sure.”
As to whether or not that will be with Golden State is up in the air. Paul is under contract for the 2024-2025 season, but his $30-million salary is fully non-guaranteed.
The guarantee date for his contract is June 28. There shouldn’t be much suspense.
No matter where Paul is playing next season, it won’t be for $30 million.
But it sounds like the Warriors would like to have him back.
Steve Kerr: ‘I Love Coaching Chris’
Following their elimination game, Steve Kerr and Golden State’s star players were asked about Paul’s future.
Kerr was perhaps the most emphatic about bringing Paul back next year.
“He’s so professional,” Kerr told The Athletic. “Such a great mentor for the younger guys. One of the great pros I’ve ever been around. I love coaching Chris and I really hope we bring him back.”
Draymond Green and Paul developed an unlikely friendship off the court.
“I’m thankful and honored, happy as hell I got the opportunity to play with him this year,” Green said. “It’s not something in a million years we ever imagined. Other than winning, it couldn’t have gone better. Built a relationship that’ll go beyond whether he’s here next year or not and whether I’m here next year or not. I haven’t come across many, if any, guys like him.”
Meanwhile, Paul himself isn’t thinking about where it is he’ll play. He just knows that he’s going to be playing.
“I haven’t thought about it,” Paul told The Athletic. “I’m too in it. I was in the gym at 8 a.m. this morning, lifting and getting ready for this game. When it’s time for that, Mike (Dunleavy) and Steve (Kerr), we’ll have a conversation and see what it looks like. But I loved it. It’s honestly — this is my fifth year living without my family — I probably saw them more than any other year.”
Will this end as a one-year experiment for Paul and the Warriors?
As much affinity is shared between the veteran and Golden State’s coaches and players, there’s an on-court “elephant in the room.”
Chris Paul’s Fit With the Warriors Isn’t Perfect
There’s a reason the Warriors have failed to find a suitable sixth man to play behind Steph Curry. Whatever it is, Paul’s found it out on his own this season.
Kerr touched on it when speaking with The Athletic, the wonky fit and how that made life difficult for the player and the team.
“It’s a difficult situation for him that he handled beautifully,” Kerr said. “He’s always been the starting point guard for his team. But you look at our team and we’re pretty small. Even though he’s one of our best players, if we want to throw our best players out there — and he’s one of them — you start adding up Chris, Steph, Klay, it’s not the ideal roster for him.
Still, the Golden State coach had to recognize what it meant to have a point guard of Paul’s caliber coming off the bench behind Curry.
“But he was fantastic for us because he became our backup point guard. As I’ve said many times, our non-Steph minutes were the best they’ve ever been because of Chris’ leadership.”
In 1,863 possessions with Curry off the floor and Paul on, the Warriors were an absolute neutral, with a 0.0-point differential, per Cleaning the Glass.
But historically, that’s an improvement.
Last season, for example, Golden State was outscored by 0.9 points per 100 possessions with Curry off the floor in 3,248 possessions.
The year prior, when they won the 2022 championship, the Warriors were outscored by 2.4 points per 100 possessions with the franchise point guard off the floor.
Paul was an improvement for Golden State. But does he hold the fit in the same regard?
Time will tell. Specifically, a few months. As Chris Paul’s guarantee date looms large for the Golden State Warriors.