Point guard legend Chris Paul entered this season with hopes of finally winning his first NBA championship. And while the season is still very young, there is a growing sentiment that Paul will not make the Finals with his new team this year. On ‘Club Shay Shay,’ not even Paul’s former teammate Trevor Ariza could be convinced to admit that Paul was on his way to the title.
“No,” replied Ariza when asked if Chris will win his first championship in Golden State. “Can’t nobody f*ck with Denver in the West. The way that they move the ball, Jokic being on their team, coach Malone. Their team is just like that.”
. @CP3 WON'T Win a Ring With @Warriors Says Former @HoustonRockets Teammate @TrevorAriza pic.twitter.com/B1owu82fji
— Club Shay Shay (@ClubShayShay) December 2, 2023
The Warriors can never be counted out with Curry, Klay, and Draymond, but the Denver Nuggets are currently the team to beat in the West. After winning the championship last season, they haven’t lost a beat and look to be on track to defend their title with great success. What this means for Paul is anyone’s guess, but this may not be his last chance to win a ring.
Shaky Future For Chris Paul
With 18 years of experience in the league, it’s no surprise that Paul has made himself useful on the Warriors this season In 18 games so far, he is averaging 8.9 points, 7.3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game on 39% shooting. Averaging roughly 26 minutes per game for Steve Kerr, Paul has been used mostly as a backup point guard behind Curry and he’s done a phenomenal job leading the bench unit.
Sadly, Chris suffered an injury on Thursday and it’s cost him two games already this season. While questions obviously remain about Paul’s durability, the biggest unknown is what comes after this season, when the veteran guard becomes a free agent. it’s doubtful that Chris will make anything close to his current salary again, but a return to the Warriors is apparently not out of the question depending on how this current season plays out.
The Dynasty Is Over
Don’t bet against the Warriors to make a last-minute, hail-mary trade to save their season but anything they do at this point seems pointless unless it pushes them past the Denver Nuggets, who are the reigning NBA champions. Even before Paul’s arrival, the cracks were starting to show for this Warriors team and now that the core is another year older, it’s clear that Curry is the only one left who hasn’t started a decline.
Hovering at .500 on the season, the Warriors will need to make some moves if they want to keep up with the competition, but even then they might not have enough to overcome rising threats in the West. For Paul, who has been trying to have a breakthrough for almost 20 years now, his best chance at a title may already be behind him but that doesn’t mean he can’t enjoy his final years in the NBA. If he can stay healthy and maintain his skills as a shooter and playmaker, he could extend his career for several more years. but whether or not Paul captures a championship, he’s done more than enough to solidify his legacy as one of the all-time greats and he doesn’t need anything else to call his NBA tenure a complete success.
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