The NBA was rocked by the transaction.
After swiping a deal for former rival Chris Paul on June 24, the Golden State Warriors served as a timely reminder to everyone that they are still a force to be reckoned with. The Warriors are hoping that Paul still has it in him to lead them to their fifth title in ten years, but it’s unclear what position the 38-year-old will play in a backcourt that already includes NBA icons Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. However, one thing is clear: Paul does not particularly want to leave the bench.
With so many NBA miles under his belt, it makes sense that Paul will spend a significant amount of time next season managing Golden State’s second unit. Paul’s experience and talent will greatly improve the Warriors’ bench, which has been a problem in recent seasons.
Given Paul’s reputation as one of the best point guards to ever play the game and the fact that he is currently in his 19th NBA season, it is also logical to assume that he will fight against a bench role. For five separate teams during the regular season, Paul has started all 1,214 games. He continues to play with excellent passing (8.9 assists per game last season) and defense (2.1 steals per game), but his field goal percentage of only 44 percent resulted in a career-low 13.9 points per game.
Golden State is well renowned for abandoning conventional big men and ushering in the NBA’s “small-ball” era. Whether Paul plays a significant part in the 2023–24 season or not, you can expect that head coach Steve Kerr will include him into a lineup that includes Curry, Thompson, and Draymond Green.
Four future Hall of Famers would be included in the “Death Lineup” just like the Warriors lineups from 2016 through 2019 that included Curry, Thompson, Green, and Kevin Durant. The main storyline to follow next season will be if this new quartet can reach championship heights once more, which would be a first in Paul’s career.