Getty LeBron James and Chris Paul
For those who may be tardy to the party, the Phoenix Suns parted ways with veteran point guard Chris Paul. He got sent to the Washington Wizards in a deal that landed the Suns All-Star shooting guard Bradley Beal, one of the top scorers in the NBA. Although Paul is not as spry as he used to be, he still has a lot of game left in his tank. And at 38 years old, he is still looking to be a contributor on a title contender.
After being dealt to the Wizards just days prior, Washington traded Paul to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for star guard Jordan Poole hours before the NBA Draft on June 22. In an interview with Lindsay Czarniak, Paul reacted to being traded yet again and his excitement to join the Warriors dynasty.
“I’m excited, I’m grateful like I said,” Paul said of his reaction to the trade. “To get an opportunity to play with that core group of players: Steph, Klay, Draymond, Looney, Wiggs, all of them, play for Steve … So, I definitely want to get on the phone and talk to those guys and whatnot and see what’s what.”
Can Chris Paul Thrive in Warriors Bench Role?
Paul has become a journeyman in every sense of the word. Naturally, he has been in every situation imaginable during his NBA career. Whether it was the highest of highs during his super team stint with the Suns or expectations were nonexistent as they were in his time with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Paul has always had to adjust.
Now an unfamiliar situation has presented itself to the All-Star point guard. With the scoring ability of Klay Thompson and Steph Curry, coupled with the playmaking ability of Draymond Green, the need for Paul’s offensive skillset in the Warriors’ starting lineup is minimal.
Paul could thrive in a role for Golden State’s second unit. Some may think that a bench Paul is beneath him, but in the latter years of his career, leading the second unit with raw, talented players such as Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga could be exactly what the Warriors need from him.
Chris Paul, Dubs Union Could Be Mutually Beneficial
Paul has been on his share of talented teams, and each time has been a massive failure. But could this finally be the year that he gets his ring? Sure, Paul has played with the likes of James Harden, Devin Booker, and Blake Griffin. But as talented as those guys are, none have title experience.
Now entering a situation where he is joining the dynasty led by three four-time champions, Green, Curry, and Thompson, in addition to a championship-winning head coach in Steve Kerr, Seerat Sohi of “The Ringer” thinks this could be the ideal situation for Paul and the Warriors.
“At this stage in both of their timelines, the Warriors might be exactly what Paul needs, and vice versa. Despite the incorrigibility of Paul’s style, there are very few roles he has not adapted to. He has been the MVP-level leading man in New Orleans and Los Angeles; the old-head guide in Oklahoma City; Harden’s and Devin Booker’s sidekick in Houston and Phoenix, respectively; and, most recently, the third fiddle learning to spot up and play off the ball after KD arrived,” she writes.
“His experience dealing with those variabilities could help him adjust to a role that will likely require him to come off the bench some nights and watch crunch time from the sidelines on others. But this, make no mistake, will be the greatest adaptation he has had to make. Paul is a bona fide future Hall of Famer. Going back to high school, there has never been any doubt that the father of the modern pick-and-roll, the most precise point guard of his generation, would be starting and finishing games.”
