Chris Paul's future with the Warriors is unclear, but if he does leave the Bay Area, his next stop may not be outside of California.
Paul is still under contract, but Golden State has until June 28 to either guarantee the remaining year of his contract, worth $30 million, or release the veteran point guard.
The Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers are among the teams expected to be interested in acquiring the future Hall of Famer if Paul becomes a free agent, NBA source Marc Stein reported Sunday.
The 19-year NBA veteran will spend the 2023-24 season with the Warriors, anchoring Golden State's second unit and taking on the starting point guard role in Stephen Curry's absence.
Paul appeared in 58 games in his lone season with the Bay Area, averaging 9.2 points, 6.8 assists and 3.9 rebounds in 26.4 minutes per game.
The 12-time NBA All-Star provided valuable experience during his time on the court with the Warriors, but with the veteran point guard at 39 years old, Golden State may look to use his salary to trade for a younger player.
Paul has been close friends with Lakers superstar LeBron James for years, though the two have never played together on the same NBA team. However, Paul was teammates with Clippers star James Harden during their two seasons together with the Houston Rockets from 2017-2019, making a reunion in Los Angeles intriguing.
Regardless of who remains interested if Paul becomes available, the Warriors ultimately become the favorite to acquire him if they decide to keep the veteran point guard for another season, albeit at a hefty fee.
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