"Let it go unc": NBA fans plead Chris Paul to retire after veteran star's decision to continue playing

The 'Point God' himself, Chris Paul, waved off retirement in the wake of the Golden State Warriors' play-in loss to the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday. After the final buzzer sounded in Sacramento, fans wondered whether they had seen the last of the future Hall of Fame. As he heads into the final year of his four-year $120 million deal, the soon-to-be 39-year-old has no plans of retirement.

As he indicated in an interview with Anthony Slater of The Athletic, the Warriors' play-in loss to the Kings wasn't going to be the end of his storied career. Although questions remain about whether or not he will find himself as a member of the Golden State Warriors next season, Chris Paul will continue to play.

With one non-guaranteed year left on his contract, the Warriors could opt to waive him at any point. That, of course, would leave the 12-time All-Star as a free agent, and open the door to a wide range of contract offers on the open market.

Following a disappointing performance that saw Chris Paul score just three points in 18 minutes, fans reacted to the news of the point guard shooting down retirement talk. From the sounds of things, many are surprised that Paul isn't calling it a career.

"Let it go unc" - @ImJusFat (Twitter)

"He’s gonna join the Spurs" - @FoeN3m (Twitter)

"I want him to win a championship so bad but I don't think it will happen." - @OhMyDiaz (Twitter)

"Paul didn’t help the warriors at all" - @Intricateone (Twitter)

"Bro NEEDS to retire though." - @DarkWebInformater (Twitter)

"That’s because he’s a Sun" - @ThomasBuckets78 (Twitter)

"Return to okc bro" - @CelticsAdam34 (Twitter)

"Chris Paul go to the Lakers, Knicks or even Spurs" - @NYCDaFuture (Twitter)

"You definitely coming off the bench next year my boy. No questions asked." - @EdgarWoo_ (Twitter)

"He was alright down the stretch." - @BananaCooler (Twitter)

---

Looking at Chris Paul's future with the Warriors; will he remain with the team heading into next season?

Before the start of this season, there were questions about Paul's fit with a Warriors team that seemed to be in need of frontcourt depth rather than another guard.

While Steve Kerr indicated that he was happy with Chris Paul's fit early on in the season, the team struggled to find consistency throughout the season. At the same time, Paul's scoring production seemed to drop noticeably, as he averaged just 9.2 points per game in a career-low 26.4 minutes per game.

Nevertheless, he continued to showcase his ability to facilitate an offense, averaging 6.8 assists per game despite the drop in mpg. Moreover, on the defensive end of the floor, he continued to be a threat, averaging 1.2 steals per game.

While he succeeded in his role, the struggles of the team could have repercussions for the future Hall of Famer. With the team expected to cut costs to minimize their luxury tax bill, Paul's $30 million contract may not get picked up.

Despite his future with the Warriors hanging in the balance, Paul indicated in the previously mentioned interview with The Athletic that he hadn't thought much about it. Instead, he had been focused on locking in for the team's elimination game.

Although Chris Paul's future is uncertain, following Wednesday's loss, Kerr indicated that he wants to see the veteran return. Whether or not the front office agrees, only time will tell.