The Golden State Warriors sent shockwaves across the NBA after it was revealed that they had successfully negotiated a deal with the Washington Wizards to acquire the services of Chris Paul via a sensational trade. This was shortly after the Phoenix Suns sent CP3 to the Capital as part of the Bradley Beal blockbuster deal.
The Wizards actually scored quite a haul for Paul, with Golden State sending over Jordan Poole to Washington along with a few future draft picks. For their part, the Warriors got their hands on one of the greatest playmakers to ever touch a basketball, thereby solidifying their backcourt ahead of what they’re hoping will be another title run in 2023-24.
New Warriors Teammates Stephen Curry And Chris Paul Have ‘History’
“It’s not 2014 anymore.”
These were the infamous four words Curry unleashed on Chris Paul after dropping the latter with a vicious crossover in one of their previous encounters. Steph was well aware of the fact that he was no longer living under CP3’s shadow, and the greatest shooter of all time just had to let Paul know.
This is exactly why one of the first things that came to mind for the fans after the trade news broke was the history between Curry and Paul. Some even went as far as saying that there’s some unsettled beef between these two all-time greats.
While Steph and CP have indeed had their fair share of on-court battles, there’s actually nothing but mutual respect between them. In a recent interview, Curry revealed that Paul actually served as his mentor during his early years in the NBA:
“It’s going to be amazing,” Steph said, via the Through The Wire Podcast. “It’s obviously a big change considering all the history that we’ve had. Me and him going way back to the North Carolina days and him kinda being my mentor when I was coming out of college, and being able to work out with him and learn the ropes. One thing about CP is he makes teams that he’s on better and I think for us that’s why the move was made.”
There’s clearly no bad blood between Curry and Paul, and right now, they’re both just excited to see how it all plays out.
How Does Chris Paul Fit In With The Warriors?
Chris Paul Curry 1 2
Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are widely regarded as one of the greatest backcourt duos ever, if not the greatest of all time. What then happens when you add a point god into the mix?
Naturally, there will be question marks about how CP3 will fit in alongside Steph and Klay, as well as how coach Steve Kerr intends to integrate him into his system.
Even Steph Curry himself has his doubts, but at the same time, he’s adamant that they will be able to make it work:
“(I’m) just excited about the unknown and the opportunity behind it because it’s gonna be a lot of high IQ guys in the locker room trying to figure it out,” Curry said.
Steph Curry on what Chris Paul will add to the Warriors pic.twitter.com/6zuUC6PE0b
— Through The Wire (@TTWirePodcast) June 28, 2023
It is worth noting that even before the Warriors swooped in on Chris Paul, the 12-time All-Star was actually also linked to the Milwaukee Bucks. More than a few folks out there believe that Paul would have been a great fit alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co. Whatever the case may be, it just wasn’t written in the stars for Milwaukee.
For More Wisconsin Sports:
Follow me on Twitter at @PaoloSongcoNBA, and follow us @WiSportsHeroics. Also, check out our Merchandise Here! Get 20% off with the code “WSH.” You can also reach out to Paolo Songco via email at pao.songco@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Wisconsin sports, click here! Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers, Milwaukee Bucks, Wisconsin Badgers.
