(Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
Many people around the basketball world were scratching their heads when the Golden State Warriors traded promising young guard Jordan Poole for 38-year-old future Hall of Famer Chris Paul.
According to pundits, the Warriors had gotten even older when they needed to continue surrounding Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green with younger players, and many are wondering just how Paul will fit in with the team’s offense to begin with.
But Thompson said it will be “an honor” to play with Paul, who he feels will bring leadership and a “calming presence.”
The Warriors and Chris Paul have a lot of history.
Now, they’re writing it together. pic.twitter.com/IM9Mm4XJ7P
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) July 7, 2023
Paul appears to be in decline, especially offensively, and his scoring numbers and efficiency have dropped quite a bit over the past year or two.
However, he is still a very capable playmaker and floor general who averaged 8.9 assists a game this past season and led the NBA in dimes per game the season prior.
The Warriors were the defending world champions during the 2022-23 campaign, but they struggled throughout the regular season, especially on the road, and they were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.
They have tried surrounding their three mainstays with younger contributors such as Poole, but they apparently have given up on that youth movement, as they traded big man James Wiseman several months ago.
The big concern is the departure of executive Bob Myers, who was instrumental in transforming the organization from a laughingstock to a dynasty.
But as long as Curry, Thompson, and Green are healthy and playing at a high level, Golden State should still have at least a puncher’s chance at winning it all yet again.
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