1. Chris Paul
The Dubs traded for CP3 in the offseason, but it was largely to clear Jordan Poole’s contract off their books. Paul is coming off the bench and averaging the fewest minutes per game of his career.
The 38-year-old has not played since Jan. 5 because of a hand injury. Fans should not expect more when he returns. CP3 is the backup point guard behind Stephen Curry, and he will likely lose minutes to rookie Brandin Podziemski.
Paul has a $30 million contract for next season, but it is completely non-guaranteed. The Warriors have to decide by June 28 if they plan to keep him for the 2024-25 campaign. They can let him become a free agent and have zero dollars on their books moving forward.
Golden State needs to dump Chris Paul if they plan to duck below the first tax apron. The future Hall of Famer can no longer play a massive role. He is still productive, but the injury risk is real and his fit next to Stephen Curry fails to maximize either talent.
The Golden State Warriors front office has significant work to do when the season ends. They plan on trimming salaries but want to stay competitive. It means cutting talented players like Klay Thompson and Chris Paul. There will be difficult decisions, so stay tuned.