Why starting Chris Paul would be disastrous for Warriors

Golden State head coach Steve Kerr apparently hasn't learned from last season's experiments that three-guard lineups are not effective in the NBA. But nonetheless, he appears to be committed to the idea.

In Team USA's 127-118 loss Sunday to Canada in the FIBA World Cup bronze-medal game, Kerr played a five-guard lineup during overtime. Five guards. Now comes word that he might go small in the backcourt with the Warriors, meaning Chris Paul would start with Stephen Curry.

"I think they're going to try," ESPN and Andscape's Marc Spears said recently on Yahoo's "Good Word with Goodwill" podcast. "This isn't an opinion that [Paul] is expected to start. It's what I'm hearing. He's never not started in his career."

If Kerr starts Paul and Curry together, it would be a grave mistake. 

If a superstar like Curry is willing to come off the bench in multiple playoff games, as he did against the Denver Nuggets in 2022, Paul should be willing to do the same. His history should have no impact on the decisions Kerr makes.

Starting Paul, who stands six feet and Curry, who's 6-foot-2, would not only give the Warriors a tiny backcourt. It would also make them far worse defensively and have a detrimental domino effect on the rest of the team.

For one, it would probably mean 6-foot-6 Draymond Green would start at center, with 6-foot-9 Kevon Looney coming off the bench.

The toll of playing center on a nightly basis would be harsh for Green, who is 33 and has a history of back injuries. He should be preserving his energy for the playoffs, not going up against 7-footers such as Nikola Jokić, Joel Embiid and others. 

Moreover, Looney — the team's best rebounder — has proven himself to be an incredibly valuable asset. He averaged 13.1 rebounds in the playoffs last season and should remain a starter.