When the Golden State Warriors acquired Chris Paul during the offseason, there were concerns regarding his potential fit alongside Draymond Green.
The two veterans have endured their fair share of battles against each other throughout their careers. With both being fierce competitors, it was no surprise that little love was lost between them.
However, it appears Paul has come to appreciate what Green brings to the table as a teammate and respect his competitive spirit. Speaking to the media following the Warriors’ win over the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, the veteran guard shared his thoughts on Green’s importance to the roster and their relationship after a season together.
“That’s easy, because he’s a cerebral player like myself,” Paul said. “Dray thinks the game defensively, like me too. He’s a great passer and all this stuff, but he does the little things like setting screens. This game, it’s actually a simple game if you pay attention to it. … He’s one of the best I’ve seen my whole career. I appreciate playing with someone that sees the games like I do. … I play with the same passion that he does. When he talks or yells, I’m listening to what he’s saying and not how he’s saying it. … If he wasn’t like that, it would mean he didn’t care.”
The Warriors acquired Paul to help propel them toward another championship. After a difficult season full of inconsistency and injury issues, Steve Kerr’s team will need to navigate the play-in tournament.
"I appreciate playing with someone that sees the game like I do."
CP3 details how his perception of Draymond has changed since they've been teammates pic.twitter.com/oPVNq41dcp
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) April 3, 2024
However, if Golden State can get high-level production out of all its stars, including Paul and Green, they could still shock the Western Conference and make a push for the NBA Finals. They have too much experience and too many competitors for their season to end with a whimper.
Paul will undoubtedly have a big role to play in any potential push the teams makes, if they can navigate the play-in tournament, of course.
