Golden State Warriors fans are used to rooting against Chris Paul. However, they will be cheering for him during the upcoming season after the Warriors acquired him in a trade that sent Jordan Poole to the Washington Wizards.
In a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Paul was asked if he had a message for Warriors fans. This was the veteran guard’s response:
“I’m excited,” Paul said. “And I know I’ve been sort of a sworn enemy for a long time, but I cannot wait to be there, and I cannot wait to get in the locker room with all those guys. So appreciate you all. And we on away.”
Chris Paul ended last season as a member of the Phoenix Suns rotation. However, the veteran guard was sent to the Wizards as part of the trade that saw Bradley Beal team up with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. That initial trade opened the door for the Warriors to acquire Paul.
It will be interesting to see how Paul acclimates himself to the Warriors’ style of basketball. Throughout his career, Paul has been a ball-dominant guard who utilizes multiple pick-and-roll actions to pick his spots and create offense for his teammates. With Golden State, Paul will be asked to play a more fluid brand of basketball, incorporating more off-ball movement into his game.
Paul, 38, participated in 59 regular-season games for Phoenix last season, all of them as a starter. During those contests, Paul averaged 13.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 8.9 assists, shooting 48.2% from two-point range and 37.5% from 3-point land.
Given the stark contrast in playing style, it will be interesting to see how Paul fits in with his new teammates. Still, if the Warriors can keep him healthy and find a way to bring the best out of him, Paul could finally find himself wearing a championship ring next summer.