While it may be too soon to wholly evaluate the impact Chris Paul has on his new team, the Golden State Warriors, we could see his effect on the entire team from day one. Despite changing his role within the group, his essence is still present on and off the court in the organization. What are the aspects he is more helpful at? Let us analyze them.
Playmaking
While this season will be of trial and error in order to find the perfect role for him on the team, the playmaking versatility and effectiveness he delivers are undeniable. Both his ball and off-ball movement fit pretty well with the Warriors’ playstyle. Additionally, his assisting ability has not gone anywhere, as he tallied 33 assists in his first four games with The Bay team, one of which saw his first career appearance from the bench. This will ultimately increase offensive chances and overall production.
Plus/Minus
Through the first four games of the 2023-2024 season, Chris Paul is currently leading the Golden State Warriors in Plus/Minus stats, with +46 so far. While this is not necessarily only due to him, it definitely denotes his positive contributions to the team whenever he is on the court. So far, he is averaging 11.3 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 8.3 APG. He is not purely a point-scoring piece, but rather a catalyst and facilitator for the entire group.
Tenure
Entering his 19th season, limited minutes and possibly changing his role to the team’s sixth man may be the way to go to maximize his performance across the board and prevent injuries as much as possible. On top of that, being on a team such as the Warriors, who have a lot of young talents, will allow CP3 to enter a “coaching phase” alongside team leaders such as Draymond Green or Stephen Curry.
It is way too soon to predict how Chris Paul’s season will turn out. However, his chances of winning his first NBA championship are still pretty high. It will all boil down to how he performs throughout the season. Hopefully, he can stay injury-free this year. So far, this has been a great front office move by Golden State.
Text sources: nba.com, basketball-reference.com
