It’s not just Klay Thompson who has potentially played his last game as a member of the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night against the Sacramento Kings. The same could be the case for veteran point guard Chris Paul, who himself could be joining Thompson in free agency this summer.
Unlike Thompson, though, Paul remains under contract with Golden State through 2025. However, his deal is non-guaranteed, which means that the Warriors could decide not to pick up the final year of his contract, thereby making him an unrestricted free agent in the offseason.
Golden State Warriors News: Chris Paul Speaks Out on Dubs Future
Paul failed to make a significant impact in Tuesday’s season-ending Play-In loss to the Kings. The 12-time All-Star managed just three points and two assists in 18 minutes off the bench as he watched Golden State suffer a heartbreaking 118-94 blowout loss against Sacramento.
CP3 is clearly no longer the superstar he once was. At 39, there’s no denying that the 11-time All-NBA guard is already in the twilight of what has been a decorated career.
Be that as it may, Paul has made it abundantly clear that he’s not ready to hang up his boots just yet:
“That isn’t even in question,” Paul said in response to the retirement rumors, via Marc J. Spears of andcsape. “I just want to get back to playing.”
Paul still has some gas left in the tank, and while his years might be numbered, he remains adamant that he can still bring value to any NBA team. Whether or not that will be in Golden State, however, remains to be seen.
“I loved being there this year,” Paul said of his first season with the Warriors. “Obviously, once the dust settles, we will talk. I want to see what (general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr.) and them are thinking.”
14 Long Years
As mentioned earlier, Paul has a stellar NBA résumé. This includes an incredible streak of 14 straight playoff appearances — a record that was shattered on Tuesday night after the Warriors were eliminated in the Play-In tournament.
“It’s an eerie feeling right now,” Paul said. “I tore my meniscus in New Orleans back in the 2009-10 season. That was the last time I missed the playoffs. This is weird right now. I get to go be dad earlier than usual. It’s tough. It’s life in this league. You get back to work and figure out what it looks like next [season] …
“But playing with Steph, Draymond and Klay is something I will never forget. I’m glad I got that opportunity.”
Based on his statement above, it appears that Paul is already speaking in the past tense. As he said, he cherishes the opportunity to have played alongside Stephen Curry and Co., which apparently, could turn out to be nothing more than a brief fling.
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