NBA rumors: Chris Paul could return to Warriors as veteran leader

The future is uncertain for the Golden State Warriors.

On Tuesday night, they saw their season come to an end with a 118-94 loss to the Sacramento Kings in the Play-In Tournament. This marks the third time in the last five years that the Warriors have failed to advance to the playoffs.

Now, there are tons of question marks for a team that was considered a dynasty not too long ago.

However, there is a chance that a popular teammate could return for the 2024-25 season. While nothing is certain, several players on the Warriors roster thoroughly enjoyed having Chris Paul around this year.

Teammates reportedly identified him as an influential veteran voice and leader, one that helped the Warriors finish with the third-best bench-scoring unit in the entire NBA.

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Paul is not a free agent and has a $30 million salary for next season, although it's non-guaranteed and even if the Warriors want to keep him, they'll likely waive him and try to renegotiate at a lower figure. He could also be used in a trade to pick up some younger pieces if the Warriors do not keep him.

But keeping him around would do wonders for the locker room culture in Golden State. Even head coach Steve Kerr said he was a pleasure to be around.

"I loved coaching Chris," said Kerr following the Warriors' loss to the Kings, "and I really hope we bring him back next year.

Jonathan Kuminga is another member of the Warriors who benefitted from Paul's presence and learned a lot from him.

"Just how to be a professional. How to take care of your body, and stuff like that," Kuminga said. "Just little things on the floor."

It's clear that the Warriors really benefitted from having Paul around and do want to have him back next season. The Warriors are a team in transition, but having Paul around would give them a strong chance to remain in contention.

Paul is a 12-time All-Star, five-time assist champion, six-time steals champion, 11-time All-NBA Team selection, and a nine-time member of the All-Defensive Team. The one thing Paul is missing is an NBA title.