Minutes after Blake Griffin reportedly informed the Los Angeles Clippers he was opting out of the final year of his contract on Friday, Chris Paul did the same.
There's a very simple reason for their decisions. Both players signed max contracts under the old CBA, and the recent influx of cash via the NBA's new television deals means they can sign much richer contracts by opting out this summer.
Paul provides an especially interesting case study. As the president of the players association, CP3 was a big part of negotiating for the right of older players such as himself to remain eligible for so-called "super-max" contracts.