Should Chris Paul Start or Come Off the Bench for the Golden State Warriors?
Chris Paul’s role with the Golden State Warriors is relatively unclear heading into the 2024 season.
Image credit: Clutch Points
A major conversation surrounding the 2024 Golden State Warriors has been whether hall-of-fame point guard Chris Paul will start next to Stephen Curry in the backcourt or come off the bench to lead the second unit, an area the Warriors have greatly struggled in when Curry is resting. Paul has never come off the bench in his entire 17-year career, so it’s safe to assume a starting role in Golden State is still a possibility. However, starting Paul next to Curry creates an extremely small lineup since the Warriors’ current starting center Kevon Looney would likely move to the bench, and Draymond Green would be the starting center as a 6’6 forward. Though Green is a prolific small-ball five that can guard most centers, having him as the full-time starting center may not be the best idea. This is why Chris Paul’s ideal scenario in Golden State is to be the team’s sixth man and on-court leader as their backup point guard. He solves many of the team’s ongoing issues in their second unit, and he could still get starting-level minutes coming off the bench if he closes games. Ultimately, it matters who finishes the game, so if Paul is helping the Warriors get huge wins in the clutch, it makes no difference whether he starts or comes in with the second unit.
Furthermore, Paul will help the Warriors immensely with their costly turnovers. The Warriors are consistently one of the highest turnover teams in the NBA, and it has always been a major issue, even during their stretch of winning three championships in four seasons. Whether Paul starts or not, he will help the Warriors cut down their turnovers as he’s always had one of the highest assist-to-turnover ratios in the NBA. Head coach Steve Kerr and owner Joe Lacob were vocal about needing a change this offseason. Paul provides some stability and consistency at the point guard spot that the Warriors haven’t necessarily had in recent years. Yes, there may be an adjustment period with Paul on the roster because the Warriors prefer a fast-paced, movement-heavy offense, while Paul has always played on the ball with slower-paced, methodical offenses. Despite the major differences in playstyles, Paul and the Warriors are a perfect match, and his potential impact on the Warriors’ second unit cannot be emphasized enough. Not only will Paul be able to settle the team down in times of chaos, but he could unlock Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody with his prolific basketball IQ. Currently, the assumption is that Paul will come off the bench when the 2024 season begins, but all the questions and concerns about his role won’t be answered until training camp, which is still almost two months away.
