Steve Kerr gets real on why Warriors needed Chris Paul
Since the Golden State Warriors swung a deal to exchange Chris Paul for Jordan Poole, questions concerning how the veteran guard would fit alongside Steph Curry have swirled through the media. Both guards are elite at their position and have enjoyed historic careers. However, unlike Curry, Paul requires a high usage rate in order to be at his most effective.
Yet, it would appear that Warriors head coach Steve Kerr believes that acquiring Paul was necessary in order for Golden State's offense to evolve. During a recent interview with Sports Illustrated's Robin Lundberg, Kerr noted how Paul will provide Golden State a new dimension on offense next season.
"Our team last year needed another way to attack, and we became a little too one dimensional with Steph in high ball screens," Kerr told Lundberg. "We needed another playmaker to give us a different look, and Chris is, as we know, one of the all-time great pick-and-roll players, and he'll know how to control the tempo. It's hugely important—especially in playoff games—to have guys like that."
It's worth noting that Paul is 38 years old. Given his age, there is a section of the Warriors fanbase that believes now is the time for him to accept a bench role in order to manage his regular-season minutes. Yet, there's no guarantee Paul will be coming off the bench for Golden State next season.
When speaking on a recent episode of 'Podcast P with Paul George,' which is presented by Wave Sports + Entertainment, Thompson noted how the Warriors are 'lucky' to have Paul on their roster.
“I mean, we’re lucky,” Thompson said. “He’s one of the greatest players ever. He’s top 75. He’s elevated every franchise he’s ran the point for. As a shooter, I’m excited. I just know CP’s gonna put it right here, on the seams, he’s gonna set me up nice, imma get a couple of extra easy buckets every night. And he’s a winner. I’ve played against him so many times, you see how competitive he is. He’ll do anything to win. That’s the vibe we want.”
Recently, Kerr has noted how he doesn't plan on making any decisions regarding Paul's role with the Warriors until training camp is underway. Nevertheless, Kerr's recent comments likely indicate that Paul will play a significant role in the upcoming season, and they could potentially mean as part of the starting line-up. Although the Warriors' coaching staff would need to get creative so they could offset the lack of size in their starting unit, otherwise, teams could simply bully the Warriors off the court, but that has never worked out well in the past.
Kerr was speaking while working with Team USA ahead of the FIBA World Cup, which is set to begin on August 25 and run until September 10.
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