The smartest and classiest move Chris Paul can make in the coming days is to put out the fire that started with his cryptic response to his first meeting with Warriors-bred reporters.
Before next Monday, when Paul and his new teammates gather for media day at the Chase Center, the veteran guard can release 11 words that will silence the chatter about his role.
“I want to win. Everything – including my role – is secondary.
Such a selfless statement will be accepted by coach Steve Kerr, by general manager Mike Dunleavy, by every player in the locker room. The understanding citizens of Dub Nation – many of whom sighed when Paul insinuated that he could be in the starting lineup – let bygones be bygones and warm to his presence on their favorite team.
Paul’s candid declaration would explain the intentionally vague statement Kerr made when he met with the media on Monday.
“We have six starters,” he said. “… and only five can go every night.”
Kerr won’t address the starter-or-Sixth-Man issue because he’s respectful of Paul, a future Hall of Famer whose pride is so broad it can block the day.
The matter of whether Paul, 38, will start or come off the bench has been dancing on the minds of Warriors executives, coaches, players and fans since July. Some of this can be attributed to the fact that he has been a starter since his NBA debut in 2005, five teams and 1,214 games ago.
Much of it, however, began with Paul’s rude response to a question that assumed he was going to the Warriors to lead the second unit.
“You coach?” Paul responded when asked about his role. “I still don’t know what the situation is. That’s what we’ll know when we get there. “
Paul’s tone and cheeky grin meant he still considered himself the starter, regardless of the list. In fact, the response is enough to suggest that Paul thinks enough of himself and his game, even now, that he could go into training camp and perform well enough to force Kerr to leave the starting lineup. last season was the best in the league.
Golden State’s starting lineup – which includes Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney – posted an NBA-best 21.9 net rating (128.0 on offense, 106.1 on defense). There is nothing about the team’s offensive season in 2022-23 as well as the work submitted by this quintet.
To put it in perspective, the No. 2 starting lineup in the league – Jamal Murray, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon and Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets – finished second with a 13.1 net rating. That’s enough to win the 2023 NBA Finals.
Kerr needs a more compelling reason to step away from a lineup that has been effective despite operating with three shooters in a league where most contenders start with at least four. The Curry-Thompson-Wiggins-Green-Looney line is successful mostly because the roles are clearly defined, and the five players generally maintain a harmony on the floor that is almost symphonic.
“I know these guys very well,” Kerr said. “I know all five of them and I already know Chris. The one thing I know about all of them is that they want to win more than anything. They’re an incredibly competitive group, and I’m very confident that we’ll figure it out and guys will buy in and find a way.
Kerr also knows he has another smart player in Paul who has a clear understanding of schemes and strategies. Paul can play with the starters, but his greatest value to the Warriors is his potential to nurture the new skills of young Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody. Paul and fellow veteran Dario Sarić, a high IQ man, can and do teach in real time.
The second unit needs Paul and Sarić. Traditional beginners will benefit from occasional support from them. Different wrinkles. An occasional refresher. Think of them as part-time starters.
“I haven’t decided what we’re going to do,” Kerr said. “I want to see a training camp. Let’s try different combinations and see. Obviously all six guys are going to play a lot of minutes for us.
“But if it works, everyone has to accept it – no matter who started and who didn’t. It only works if the whole team buys in.”
The longtime core, knowing what it takes to win a championship, is on board. Paul, with 11 words, can prove that he is too.
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