Hall of Famer Chris Paul to Come off Bench for Golden State Warriors
In a surprising move, future Hall of Famer Chris Paul will be coming off the bench for the first time in his 19-year career. This decision was made by the Golden State Warriors for their game against the Houston Rockets on Sunday night. According to Anthony Slater, Paul, who started the first two games of the season, will now be a bench player as Draymond Green returns from an ankle injury. However, Green will be on a minutes limit for this contest.
During the offseason, Paul was traded to the Warriors in a deal with the Washington Wizards, with Jordan Poole going the other way. Questions arose regarding Paul’s fit and role within the team, but Green’s injury cleared the way for him to start the season as a starter. In the Warriors’ first two games, a loss to the Phoenix Suns and a win over the Sacramento Kings, Paul performed well, averaging 12 points and 10.5 assists in 33.5 minutes.
Despite his impressive performances, it is not surprising that Paul is now being moved to the bench. The Warriors’ primary starting lineup of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Green, and Kevon Looney was one of the best five-man units in the league when they were on the court last season. Therefore, it makes sense to keep this group intact. Paul will have to adjust to his new role, which he should be willing to do if he wants to have a chance at winning his first NBA championship. Additionally, there is a good chance that he will still close games depending on the match-up and the flow of the game.
This unexpected decision has generated significant interest among basketball fans. It remains to be seen how Paul will adapt to his new role and how this change will affect the Warriors’ performance.