Dunleavy calls Warriors’ CP3 situation ‘difficult’ as deadline originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
These are busy times for the Warriors’ decision-makers.
Monday was the deadline to guarantee Kevon Looney’s contract, the 2024 NBA Draft takes place on Thursday and Friday, and free agency opens on Sunday, June 30. And that’s not even all.
The Warriors also don’t have much time to wait before having to decide whether or not to pick up Chris Paul’s $30 million team option for the 2024-2025 NBA season. That deadline is Friday, June 28.
During his pre-draft press conference Monday, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy didn’t reveal much of a strong bias surrounding the team’s plans for Paul.
“We know what it is. We planned it,” Dunleavy told reporters. “I think it’s more difficult to balance the salary with the quality of the player and take that into account, which makes it difficult.”
In addition to accepting or declining Paul’s team option, the Warriors are also interested in trading the veteran point guard before the deadline, according to reports from NBA insider Marc Stein. To make a trade possible, Stein mentioned the possibility that the Warriors and Paul could mutually agree to extend the deadline until July.
Dunleavy commented on the organization’s position regarding the timing for Paul’s contract and its potential flexibility.
“I agree with the date. I guess we’ll see if that changes,” Dunleavy said. “But for now, I’m fine with it. I understand the rules. We’ll stick to them.”
In his first season with the team in 2023-24, Paul was a key part of the Warriors bench, averaging 9.2 points and 6.8 assists per game in 58 appearances. It’s not often that a team has the opportunity to bring in a 12-time All-Star to relieve a 10-time All-Star, but the Warriors had that luxury when Paul played behind Steph Curry.
Still, $30 million is a very expensive price tag for a backup point guard, especially for a team already dealing with cap issues. We’ll have to wait and see how Dunleavy and the Warriors move forward with Paul and the rest of their upcoming roster decisions.
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