Golden State Warriors point guard Chris Paul is expected to miss four to six weeks after he undergoes surgery to repair a fractured bone in his left hand this week, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
NBA Rumors: Warriors Reportedly Could Trade Chris Paul Despite Him Being Out 4-to-6 Weeks
Paul suffered the injury in the third quarter of Golden State’s victory over Detroit on Friday. When the fracture occurred, Paul was battling the Pistons’ Jaden Ivey for a rebound. It will be the 11th time the 38-year-old has had surgery on his hand, five times on his left and six on his right.
The injury is a massive blow for Paul and the Warriors.
Things haven’t gone as planned for Golden State, which took a huge gamble trading for Paul this summer, or the 12-time all-star as he has struggled this season.
Golden State sits in 10th place in the Western Conference with a 17-18 record. The Warriors have won six of their last 10 contests. The Dubs are three-and-a-half games behind fifth-place Dallas and one game behind 11th-place Utah.
Meanwhile, Paul has had difficulty adjusting to coming off the bench for the Warriors. Paul averages 8.7 points, 7.2 assists, and 3.8 rebounds while compiling a shooting slash line of .424/.361/.833 in 27.6 minutes over 32 appearances. Most of the numbers are career-lows or close to his career-worst.
Paul now joins Gary Payton II on the sidelines. Payton II is dealing with a hamstring injury and will be re-evaluated at the end of the month. However, Draymond Green has been reinstated though he is expected to need a week before returning to game action, per ESPN.
Brandin Podziemski, who has played exceptionally well recently, will likely continue to see extended minutes with the absences of Paul and Payton. Andrew Wiggins, Moses Moody, and now Cory Joseph will also see an uptick in playing time.
Steve Kerr says the Chris Paul extended absence means some extra Podziemski/Cory Joseph point duties, but also Moses Moody's return to the rotation: "I'm excited to get Moses back out there…Great to hear the fans chanting his name."https://t.co/F7rO6s4nqN
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) January 6, 2024
Will Paul Be Traded?
With 15 healthy bodies, including all three of their three-way, the Warriors could add another player as they only have 14 players on standard contracts. However, don’t expect the Warriors to do more than a 10-day contract with any player until after the deadline.
Speaking of the trade deadline, there have been recent rumors that the Dubs may trade Paul. The 19-year vet is making $30.8 million and a club option for $30 million next season that no club would pick up.
So, why would the Warriors trade Paul? The Warriors need to add another scorer, as Klay Thompson and Wiggins have struggled. The Dubs also could use pieces to improve their defense, which ranks in the bottom third of the league at No. 22.
While there won’t be a huge market for Paul, The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson II doesn’t believe his injury will affect his trade value.
“The injury might keep him out past the Feb. 8 trade deadline. But it doesn’t figure to impact Paul’s value. The likelihood is that the teams who’d want him will be interested in his expiring contract, which can be used to cut future salary. The teams who could use Paul’s play don’t have the pieces to swing a deal for his contract.”
Per Wojnarowski’s timeline, if Paul is out for only four weeks it would mean he returns in early February before the Feb. 8 trade deadline. But if his return is closer to the six-week time frame, Paul would return during or right before the all-star break.
It will be interesting to see what Golden State ultimately does with Paul. It will eventually depend on whether the Warriors get hot or stay stagnant. If the Warriors believe they legitimately have a chance to make a serious playoff run, they will trade Paul only if it improves their team. Otherwise, expect him to finish the season in the Bay Area.
However, I could see the Warriors moving Jonathan Kuminga or Wiggins ahead of the deadline.