It was late last month that the Golden State Warriors pulled off a shocking blockbuster trade for 12-time All-Star point guard Chris Paul.
The deal was made with two things in mind. First off, Golden State wanted to get off the long-term contract of enigmatic guard Jordan Poole. Secondly, acquiring Paul gives the Warriors another floor general to go with four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry.
Paul, 38, has already opened up about his trade to Golden State. We’re now hearing more from Warriors players, the recently re-signed Draymond Green included.
Green touched on the acquisition of Paul, pretty much calling it a perfect fit. However, his opinion has more to do with how Paul will help young forward Jonathan Kuminga moving forward.
“I think Chris Paul will completely unlock Jonathan Kuminga in his growth. Deandre Ayton looked like a bust before CP3 came to Phoenix. No disrespect to Ayton, but more of a nod to CP. What he would do for Jonathan Kuminga and unlocking him, is huge,” Draymond Green on Chris Paul acquisition.
Green’s reference to Deandre Ayton is interesting in that the former No. 1 pick did excel with Paul in Phoenix. This past season saw Ayton average a career-high 18.0 points to go with 10.0 rebounds while shooting 59% from the field. Ayton then struggled with Paul sidelined for the majority of the postseason.
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Golden State Warriors banking on Chris Paul to “unlock” Jonathan Kuminga
The No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Kuminga has displayed flashes of brilliance in inconsistent playing time through two seasons. The 20-year-old forward averaged 13.7 points and 4.4 rebounds on 49% shooting from distance over the course of Golden State’s final 19 regular-season games.
In a surprising decision, head coach Steve Kerr pretty much took Kuminga out of the rotation in the playoffs. It led to speculation about a potential trade this summer.
Now that this is highly unlikely, Golden State is going to be banking on Chris Paul to get the most out of Kuminga. Whether it’s as a starter or coming off the bench, CP3 adds another element to the Warriors’ attack. That is to say, one of the top assist men in modern Association history.
Paul is averaging 8.3 assists throughout his career. Last season saw him average 7.4 dishes and just 1.0 turnovers per game.
For a Golden State Warriors team that has no real margin for error in the Western Conference, getting an uptick in performance from Kuminga next season will be key. A lot of that will rest on the shoulders of Mr. Paul. It seems as if Green knows this full well.