Even entering his 20th NBA season, Warriors veteran guard Chris Paul should not lack interest from teams if he becomes a free agent this summer.
Paul has a $30 million non-guaranteed contract with the Warriors for the 2024-25 NBA season, which Golden State can exit by waiving Paul before the contract becomes guaranteed on June 28. If that happens, Paul will become a free agent.
If Paul tests free agency, NBA contributor Marc Stein reported in his latest column that the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs are two teams that could be interested in signing him.
“The Spurs and Lakers continue to emerge as potential suitors for the Warriors’ Chris Paul if Paul becomes a free agent this offseason,” Stein wrote. “Paul’s long friendship with LeBron James and his known desire to remain as close as possible to his Los Angeles-based family certainly add credibility to the idea of the Lakers signing him.”
Stein also reported, citing league sources, that the Warriors are weighing all contract options for Paul, including the possibility of pushing the guarantee date of his contract back to July, something Paul would have to agree to.
“Paul’s $30 million salary for next season will be fully guaranteed on June 28 if Golden State does not waive him… or if the Warriors trade him to a team that decides to retain him,” Stein added. “The Warriors, league sources say, are currently evaluating those options,” Stein reported. “If the team that has Paul on its roster on June 28 wants to be completely free of the salary obligation, Paul will be fired and will proceed. to the open market with the possibility of choosing his next destination. The accomplished point guard just turned 39 on May 6.
“I was told that another option that has not yet been ruled out is for Golden State and Paul to agree to move that guaranteed date to July, although it cannot be done unilaterally. The Warriors would need Paul’s consent for such an alteration, which would expand the window to explore potential trades.”
The Warriors, from coach Steve Kerr to general manager Mike Dunleavy and a handful of prominent players like Steph Curry and Draymond Green, have expressed hope that Paul will return, in one form or another, next season.
But if Golden State moves on from the 12-time All-Star this summer, he should have no problem finding a team interested in his services.
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