Dunleavy calls Warriors’ CP3 situation ‘difficult’ as deadline approaches originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area
It’s a busy time for the Warriors’ decision makers.
Monday was the deadline to secure Kevon Looney’s contract, the 2024 NBA Draft takes place on Thursday and Friday, and free agency begins on Sunday, June 30.
The Warriors also don’t have long to wait before determining whether or not they will pick up guard Chris Paul’s $30 million team option for the 2024-25 NBA season. This deadline ends on Friday, June 28th.
During his pre-draft press conference on Monday, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy didn’t reveal much bias surrounding the team’s plans for Paul.
“We know what it is. We planned for it,” Dunleavy told reporters. “I think it’s harder to balance salary versus player quality and take that into consideration, which makes it difficult.”
In addition to picking up 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 help facilitate the negotiation, Stein mentioned the possibility of the Warriors and Paul mutually agreeing to extend the deadline into July.
Dunleavy commented on the organization’s position regarding the timing of Paul’s contract and its potential flexibility.
“I’m fine with the date. I guess we’ll see if that changes,” Dunleavy said. “But for now, I’m okay with it. I understand the rules. Let’s stick to them.”
In his first season with the team in 2023-24, Paul was a key player on the Warriors bench, averaging 9.2 points and 6.8 assists per game in 58 games. It’s not often that a team has the ability to bring in a 12-time All-Star to replace a 10-time All-Star, but the Warriors had that luxury with Paul playing behind Steph Curry.
Still, $30 million is a pretty steep price for a backup point guard — especially for a team already dealing with cap space issues. We’ll have to wait and see how Dunleavy and the Warriors proceed with Paul and the rest of their impending roster decisions.
