Chris Paul, a future Hall of Fame point guard, has always been a starter throughout his illustrious 1,214-game NBA career. When asked about the possibility of coming off the bench for the Golden State Warriors, Paul didn’t seem enthusiastic. However, Warriors coach Steve Kerr revealed in an interview with ESPN’s Tim Bontemps that no decisions have been made yet.
Kerr mentioned that during the three-week training camp before the first game of the season, they will assess various lineup combinations. The main focus for the team, according to Kerr, is that all the players, including Paul, will have ample playing time. Kerr expressed excitement about adding Paul to the team, praising his ability to control games, tempo, and take care of the ball.
The Warriors’ starting lineup of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, and Kevon Looney had an impressive plus-minus of 145 points last season, which was the second-highest in the league. Only the starting five of the NBA champion Denver Nuggets, who played considerably more minutes, had a higher plus-minus. Curry, Thompson, and Green have previously won four championships together.
It’s not immediately clear how Paul would fit into the starting five, as Curry and Thompson have established themselves as one of the best backcourts in the NBA. Asking them to come off the bench would be challenging, considering their status as team icons. Additionally, starting three guards would leave the Warriors lacking size, and it may not be ideal to ask Andrew Wiggins, their current small forward, to defend power forwards. While Green can play center, the team prefers not to overuse him in the regular season to preserve his body. However, Kevon Looney provides the team with strong rebounding abilities.
On paper, it appears to make more sense for Paul to come off the bench to focus on leading the Warriors’ bench units. The team has struggled with its bench production throughout Curry’s career. Convincing Paul to accept a reserve role may not be easy, but it could be more feasible considering his age, as he is now 38. Ultimately, the decision on Paul’s role in the lineup may organically resolve itself during training camp, but it seems likely that someone in Golden State will have to accept a bench role they may not prefer.
