Steve Kerr took a moment this week to address the topic of whether newly-acquired point guard Chris Paul will start for the Golden State Warriors next season.
A surprising mid-offseason trade saw the Warriors ship Jordan Poole to the Washington Wizards in return for Paul.
Poole’s various issues with Golden State players and coaches obviously was the primary motivator for the move, but Kerr and Co. have also maintained that they think Paul could be a valuable piece in his own right.
There’s just one problem: where Paul fits into the equation.
Paul, for his part, has expressed a desire to start. He has never come off the bench during his NBA career and he doesn’t seem to want to start now. It has gotten to the point where even Stephen Curry has had to weigh in on the matter.
In a conversation with Tim Bontemps of ESPN, Kerr addressed the current elephant in the room as it pertains to his squad.
“The main thing is we know all those guys are going to play a lot of minutes,” he said.
“But the luxury of having Chris Paul to add to this group that we’ve been lucky enough to have for a decade … pretty remarkable. He is one of the great competitors in the game. He’s one of the great point guards of all time. I think he’s a great addition for us, because of his ability to control games, control tempo, take care of the ball.”
The only thing Kerr definitively committed to, however, was being open to anything.
“We’ll just look at all kinds of different combinations,” he said.
Quite the offseason for the Denver Broncos. https://t.co/SVIOIC5bjk
— Game 7 (@game7__) August 5, 2023
It will be interesting to see what Golden State ultimately opts to do with Paul next season.
Obviously he wants to start, but it certainly makes far more sense to have the chronically injured 38-year-old come off the bench in limited regular season minutes. Then, the hope is when the playoffs roll around – he will be healthy.
Will Kerr, Paul and the Warriors ultimately get on the same page about him starting? Time will tell.
Related: Baker Mayfield And Wife Emily Party Hard At Concert (Photos)
Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
