The Golden State Warriors shook the NBA by trading Jordan Poole to get one of their fanbase’s most-hated players: Chris Paul. Even Draymond Green had admitted that he didn’t like him at all, and he’s been on the other end of the floor for the entire course of their dynasty.
Paul has never won an NBA championship and has only made it to the NBA Finals once, so one could argue that he needs the Warriors more than they need him. With that in mind, he should be willing to do whatever it takes to maximize his time with the organization.
However, that might not be the case at all. The only — or at least the most obvious — way he makes a positive impact there is by coming off the bench. Even so, it doesn’t seem like the veteran PG is actually excited about being Stephen Curry’s backup.
Chri Paul Has A Telling Response When Asked About Potential Bench Role
“Uhh, you coaching?” Paul responded when asked about coming off the bench and the Warriors’ second unit. “I don’t know what the situation is going to be yet. I think that will be for us to figure out once we get going.”
“It’ll be a conversation for us when camp starts,” Paul continued. “Me and Steve [Kerr] have talked or whatnot. You know, that ain’t something where you’d be like, ‘What up, man? You’re not starting.’ I think we’ll figure all that stuff out.”
Of course, Paul has been a starter throughout the course of his entire career, so embracing a different role might hurt his ego. Then again, he’s 38 years old, ringless, and with well-documented durability issues, so it might be better even for him to get his minutes drastically cut.
see also
Stephen Curry gets real on his beef with Chris Paul
Paul is a winner and an intelligent player, so chances are he’ll agree to come off the bench for the sake of the team. If not, the Dubs could then look to flip his expiring contract to get some more assets before next season’s trade deadline.
