Chris Paul played in his first game since January 5 in the Warriors 123-112 win over the Wizards tonight. After an impactful stint off the bench, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr shared his true feelings on how he thinks Paul impacts the team positively.
“We’ve been playing pretty well over the last month or so. We’ve been looking forward to getting Chris back and you can see why tonight… We handle things better with Chris, he’s such a good point guard. Always knows exactly what’s happening in the game and what’s needed from him. It’s great to have him back.”
"We just handle things better with Chris."
Kerr raves about CP3 after his return to action 🤝 pic.twitter.com/RNafmkVrm3
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) February 28, 2024
Kerr also discussed Paul’s positive impact in the win over Washington.
“He was a +17 in 21 minutes. Always in control of the game. I think the way we closed the third quarter was important, he was at the helm. He found JK for a lob and we got a stop, and got the last shot of the quarter.”
Paul had as solid of a return as he could have hoped for within his role on the Warriors. He played just 21 minutes but scored nine points, all through made threes. He also had four rebounds, six assists, and four steals, overall impacting the game positively. As Kerr mentioned, he ended the night as a +17 in just 21 minutes.
CP3 is averaging 8.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 7.2 assists this season. The box score isn’t where he’s impacting the game, as his on-court presence has given the Warriors some much-needed bench stability.
With their various combination of lineups featuring veterans and young stars, Paul is the connector piece that could tie it all together and make the Warriors embark on a push for the sixth seed.
Chris Paul Hoping To Secure His Future In The NBA
Chris Paul is on a $30.8 million contract for this season with a $30 million team option for next year. The chances that the Warriors pick up that hefty contract for a bench player is extremely slim. But if Paul doesn’t want to find himself competing for non-tax mid-level exceptions or taking a discount to return to the Warriors, he needs to have as strong an end to the season as possible.
If the Warriors make a playoff run and Paul is an impactful bench player in that, there’s no questioning his future in the NBA. If he makes a tangible impact on winning, cap space teams like the Pistons may just throw a massive one-year contract at him to have his leadership impact the franchise positively. Given their coach is Monty Williams, who has excelled with coaching Paul twice before, it’s a fit that makes sense.
Even if the Warriors bring CP3 back, it’ll likely be on a small contract given the luxury tax situation they’re in. They don’t have the disposable wealth to throw at CP3 like they would have in the past. But with Klay Thompson expected to either leave or stay on a discount, maybe Golden State can shake the coffers to keep this veteran group together for another season.
Paul is a legendary point guard with a lot to offer in the NBA despite nearing 40 years old. That makes paying him this summer risky, but he can change that perception if he earns it on the court this season.
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