The Golden State Warriors are going down an interesting path, swapping the long-term contract of the younger Jordan Poole for the expiring deal of Chris Paul, who will be 39 by the end of next season.
Paul is going to share the floor with Draymond Green, with both players expressing a dislike for each other in the past. It seems that tension is going to be water under the bridge, as Paul looks forward to sharing the court with Draymond and being a menace to other teams.
“Draymond is… I’m sorry about teams that’s got to play against the both of us because he’s always been very vocal, as I am. I’ve always thrived with guys like that.
Paul has been one of the Warriors’ biggest rivals over their dynastic era. He was the last superstar to beat them in 2014 before they won four rings and only lost twice in the Finals. In that run, the Warriors handed CP many playoff eliminations, but now, they will push for a title together.
Will Chris Paul Make It To The End Of The Season?
Naturally, the Warriors have expressed nothing but excitement for the prospect of Paul on the roster. They had to part with future assets to acquire him, on top of giving up a rising star like Poole. However, Poole’s locker room relations with Steve Kerr and Draymond Green had become untenable and they needed to get him off the roster, even if it’s saying goodbye to 20 points off the bench.
The Warriors have brought in Paul to be a mentor to young stars like Jonathan Kuminga while restoring order to the team’s second unit, one of the worst in the NBA last season. But adding another aging guard on a roster with no seven-footers is an interesting choice and the Warriors may be forced to make a move to add size using Paul’s $30 million before the trade deadline.
