Chris Paul has earned the right to choose his next stop

Chris Paul’s future is unclear. He has a $30 million team option for next season that is completely unsecured, so the Golden State Warriors could release him before his June 28 guarantee date. They would not take a salary cap hit for making that decision. However, the Warriors would likely prefer to trade Paul and get some assets back in return.

Still, it’s becoming increasingly likely that Paul will become an unrestricted free agent this summer. On Sunday, Marc Stein reported that Paul likely wants to stay in or near Los Angeles to be near his family.

“I keep hearing that if Paul does eventually become a free agent, he would attract interest from the Clippers and the Lakers. Paul’s desire to play as close to his LA-based family as possible is well known, but I’m told that interest in bringing him to the Lakers may not be unanimous within the organization, despite Paul’s well-documented friendship with LeBron James,” Stein reported.

Paul is entering his 20th season in the NBA. He is at the end of his career. He has earned the right to decide where he plays next, whether it is with a competitive team or somewhere where he can play a significant role. Even though Paul will be 40 in less than a year, he is still one of the best playmakers in the league.

A role with the LA Clippers or Los Angeles Lakers would probably be ideal for Paul. However, a lot will depend on how much playing time he gets in one of those situations. If another team offers him the chance to be a key part of the rotation.

Paul could still be gunning for a championship. A ring has eluded him his entire career and his chances are slowly fading. The Clippers, with their aging roster of Hall of Fame talent, could be a good landing spot for him to make one last attempt at immortality.

Still, Paul’s future is not in his own hands until the Warriors (or another team) terminates his current contract. Fortunately for Paul, his contract situation should be resolved next week. Then one of the best guards in NBA history can decide his future and possibly make one last attempt to be crowned champion.