The Golden State Warriors were one of the first to draw headlines early into this summer’s free agency. It was not so shocking that they decided to move on for Jordan Poole due to the embarrassing slope he slid on in his last year with the Dubs. God only knows what was said before he got on the receiving end of Draymond Green’s fist– though it does not justify violence regardless– nothing was the same since.
The surprise factor came from who they hired to take his spot. NBA veteran, and future Hall of Famer, the Point God himself, Chris Paul.
Paul and the Warriors have had their previous wars and Golden State always came out on top. But it’s not much of a case of “if you can’t beat them, join them.” Contrary to what others may think, this is a brilliant move by Golden State. They traded youth for experience, pace for precision, but it helped open doors for the financial and basketball sides.
However, this could still be a gamble in some ways. In the spirit of objectivity, let’s look at how CP3 can impact the Warriors for better and worse.
Better: Paul is a great facilitator
He is not called the Point God for no reason. There aren’t plenty of excellent floor generals in the NBA today, and there are only a handful in NBA history. Paul’s IQ is one of the best we have seen in basketball, and he is about to be inserted into one of the best groups in the league.
It is such a shame that this fusion did not happen earlier. But timeline aside, Chris Paul and Stephen Curry paired together in the NBA is straight out of a Stephen King novel for oppositions. Now they have two Hall of Fame point guards running together. One of the best facilitators stirring the wheel for the best shooting duo in history.
Just imagine Paul finessing through and outsmarting defenders as Curry and Klay Thompson run around looking for an opening. Meanwhile, you got Green setting screens for him. This signing could unlock a side of Golden State that we are yet to witness.
Worse: Can CP3 keep up?
One of the issues Paul had in Phoenix was slowing down the game, not in a good way. After all, he is 38 years old. Though Paul will be great in directing the offense for the Warriors, he can be a liability in fast-break situations.
Golden State does not necessarily like to play slow when they’re countering– they want to punish you for messing up. The fast-break is one area where he could get in the way of scoring opportunities. On the bright side, he could still help in some counter-attack scenarios. With his aforementioned court vision, he might not have to run much or push the ball forward with pace. He can just drill long passes to his young and athletic teammates.
It does not cover the fact that there’s a price to pay for putting an old (though valuable) piece in a new machine. And speaking of which…
Better: veteran presence
If you look at Golden State’s championship rosters from 2015 onwards, you’ll notice a trend– they like having veterans in their rotation. When this group won their first title, they had Curry, Thompson, and Green as their young rising stars, but they also had Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, and Leandro Barbosa.
Years later, when Kevin Durant joined the team, they added Matt Barnes, David West, and Zaza Pachulia. Having seasoned vets around their core and young talents has been a proven formula for the Warriors.
They have swam against that current in recent years, though. Curry, Thompson, and Green are now in double-digit years in the NBA, and old-man Igoudala has faded out of the rotation. This entry is a little more superstitious. But with Paul’s arrival, Golden State has revived an old tradition.
It’s not just a matter of can his old soles run with fresher legs. Like the players mentioned, Paul has seen the ropes and navigated through them. He is a brilliant and respected legend who could serve as a mentor for players in their twenties.
Draymond Green said it best on Podcast P earlier in July. “CP is great with young guys,” Green stated. “DeAndre Ayton looked like a bust before CP came to Phoenix. No disrespect to Ayton but more so a nod to CP.”
“I think Chris Paul will completely unlock Jonathan Kuminga in his growth.” We could not agree more.