Will the Chris Paul-to-the-San Antonio Spurs hypothetical many are drooling over increase in traction or lose steam now after the Golden State Warriors thoroughly beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals?
Let’s go with “increase in traction,” if only because it took 0.5 seconds for the scenario to crop up after Golden State secured its second championship in three years. The latest scuttle comes via HoopsHype’s Alex Kennedy, who reiterates that the links between Paul and the Spurs appear to be real:
Executives and players around the NBA absolutely believe Chris Paul to the Spurs is a realistic possibility. Free agency starts in 19 days.
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) June 13, 2017
So, basically, nothing has changed on this front. This marriage is still in play, it’s still intriguing, and the Spurs still need to figure out how they’ll create enough cap space to sign Paul. (The most likely scenario entails them getting rid of two members from the group of LaMarcus Aldridge, Pau Gasol, Danny Green and Tony Parker.)
All that said, the Warriors’ latest title is an interesting layer to this pipe dream. They didn’t just beat the Cavaliers. They throttled them. Sure, the final three games of the series were entertaining, but it still only spanned five contests.
Will Golden State’s utter dominance drive Paul away from the Los Angeles Clippers and into the hands of a team, such as San Antonio, more capable of competing during this mega-super-duper squad’s window? Or will he subconsciously be resigned to Warriors’ dominance and decide it’s better to get five years and $200-plus million from the Clippers?
Free agency is less than three weeks away, and it promises to be interesting—not just for Paul and the Spurs, but for every player and team that must decide whether to chase the Warriors or wait out their reign.
