Chris Paul Adds Variety to Warriors Menu

Though the game has changed considerably over Chris Paul’s 18-year NBA career, one of the few constants has been that the 6-foot, 12-time All-Star makes teams better.

The Warriors acquired Paul, the NBA’s active leader in assists and steals (third all-time in both) via a trade with the Wizards that was finalized on Thursday, sending Jordan Poole, Patrick Baldwin Jr., Ryan Rollins and draft assets to Washington. The Warriors will be Paul’s sixth NBA team in 19 seasons, and he has directly impacted team success for each of the first five stops of his career.

Most recently, Paul helped transform the culture in Phoenix, taking a team that missed the playoffs for 10 consecutive seasons before his arrival to the NBA Finals in the 2020-21 season, his first year as a Sun. With him, the Suns also set a franchise record for wins (64) in the 2021-22 season.

“Every team that CP has been on gets better," Stephen Curry said. "That’s the most consistent thing about him, and who he is and what he brings to the team."

The NBA 75th-anniversary team member has also played alongside many different talents and personalities. He has been a leader for every team he's been on while meshing his game to fit alongside different playstyles, including sacrificing for the team's betterment. Paul has played with six All-Stars, including David West, Blake Griffin, Deandre Jordan, James Harden, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. He will now have the opportunity to play alongside Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, who have made multiple All-Star teams in their careers.

"I'm definitely excited about this because these guys know what it's all about," Chris Paul said on ESPN's 'NBA Today' show. "They've been there, they've won over and over again. I'm glad to be a part of that process."

CHRIS PAUL'S EXTENSIVE NBA RESUME
Chris Paul is one of the most accomplished point guards in NBA history. Paul has been named to 12 All-Star teams, 11 All-NBA teams, nine All-Defensive teams and the NBA's 75th-anniversary team. Paul has led the league in steals six times and in assists five times. Among active players, he ranks first in assists (11,501) and steals (2,544), ranking third all-time in both categories. Paul joins Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (second in points, third in rebounds, third in blocks) as the only players in league history to rank top-three in more than one of the five major statistical categories (points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks).

DIVERSIFYING WARRIORS OFFENSE
Chris Paul's playstyle can provide a different element to the Dubs' offensive attack. First and foremost, Paul is another playmaker who can create easier offense. In the 2022-23 season, he ranked fifth in assist points created (22.8) and was particularly effective in assisting on made 3-pointers.

"For me, it will be a smooth transition playing with such a passer and playmaker. I'm excited," Klay Thompson said.

The Dubs led the league in 3-point attempts but, at times, struggled to diversify their shot diet. This past season, the Warriors attempted the fourth-fewest mid-range jumpers from 10-14 feet (5.2 attempts) and had the third-worst percentage (40.4 percent). On the other hand, among players with at least 200 mid-range attempts, Paul ranked seventh in percentage (47.7 percent). Paul can be effective in the mid-range while creating even higher quality looks for others from behind the arc.

“Last year our team didn’t have a variety of ways to score. CP3 adds variety to that menu,” Draymond Green said on the Podcast P show.

In addition, the Warriors were very effective in the pick-and-roll but didn't run them often. Despite being tied for the fourth-highest points per possession in the pick-and-roll (0.96 PPP), the Warriors had the third-lowest pick-and-roll frequency, running them just 13.5 percent of the time. Paul had the highest pick and roll frequency among qualifiers, with that play making up 55.9 percent of his offensive attack. This can allow the Dubs to have a change of pace and become more unpredictable. The pick-and-roll can also benefit players that consistently put pressure on the rim, such as Kevon Looney, Gary Payton II, Jonathan Kuminga, Andrew Wiggins and Trayce Jackson-Davis, to name a few.

“I think Chis Paul will completely unlock Jonathan Kuminga and his growth. CP is great with young guys,” Draymond Green said.

Another way Paul can balance the Warriors' offense is by changing their pace of play. While the Warriors led the league in pace (102.54 possessions per 48 minutes), Paul had the second-lowest average speed on offense (3.93) for a starting point guard, only slightly faster than James Harden (3.84). With both Paul and Stephen Curry as point guards, the Warriors can adjust their speed depending on the lineup.

PAUL PLAYOFF HISTORY VS. WARRIORS
Chris Paul has had three competitive postseason battles with the Warriors. In 2014, Paul and the third-seeded Clippers defeated the sixth-seed Warriors in a tightly contested seven-game series. In 2018, he was traded to the Houston Rockets and won a league-best 65 games, teaming up with the eventual MVP, James Harden. In their Western Conference Finals series against the Warriors, Houston took a 3-2 series lead, but Paul suffered a hamstring injury towards the end of Game 5, which would keep him sidelined for the remainder of the series. Houston would never recover, losing the final two games and the series. The Rockets and Warriors met again the following season, with the Warriors winning in six games.

“Any time you get to play with a player who is one of the best of your generation it’s an honor," Klay Thompson told Anthony Slater of the Athletic. "It’s a little weird because we’ve had so many battles in the past with Chris, and he’s led so many teams that nearly knocked us off or did knock us off all the way back in 2014."

Throughout his illustrious career, Chris Paul has consistently made his teams better, impacted the game in many ways and meshed with other great talents. He is now set on one final milestone, winning that elusive first NBA Championship.

"No one wants an NBA Championship more than I do," Chris Paul said in response to a player poll that put him and Damian Lillard as the players they most wanted to win their first ring.

He will be surrounded by Championship DNA as the Warriors try to reach the mountaintop again.

“We’re trying to win next year and CP can help us do that,” Curry said.