5 Reasons Why Chris Paul might fail with Warriors

Chris Paul found himself out of the Phoenix Suns and with his new team, the Golden State Warriors after being eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the 2023 playoffs.

First, the Suns traded Paul to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Bradley Beal, upon Beal's no-trade clause, on June 23. A third team, Golden State, was involved in the conversation.

The Warriors acquired Paul from the Wizards in exchange for Jordan Poole, Patrick Baldwin Jr., Ryan Rollins, a 2027 second-round pick, a 2030 first-round pick (top 20 protected) and cash considerations, on July 6.

The move to acquire Chris Paul was done to fill the missing gap of a floor general coming off the bench. This was highlighted by Warriors coach Steve Kerr in an interview with Sports Illustrated as he looks forward to integrating the 12-time All-Star into his system.

However, the addition of Paul will still need to be seen on the court. This article looks at the five possible reasons the Warriors guard will fail with the Warriors.

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Five reasons why Chris Paul's time with the Golden State Warriors might result in failure

Here's a look at the five reasons the veteran guard might fail with the Warriors:

#5, Size disadvantage

Listed at 6 feet, Chris Paul has not let his size be a disadvantage at the point guard position throughout his 18 NBA seasons. However, playing with a small-ball lineup has caused problems for the Golden State Warriors on multiple occasions.

This can cause headaches for the team when it comes to lineup combinations and running defensive sets as the team needs more size with its roster depth.

#4, Age

Entering his 19th season, Paul will be playing at 38 years of age, the same as LeBron James (who turns 39 in late December). Paul turns 39 on May 6, when the playoffs are at full steam. Looking at the Warriors' roster, age could be an obstacle they have to overcome this season, especially with how fast they play.

• Stephen Curry, turns 36 years old on March 14
• Klay Thompson, turns 34 on Feb. 8
• Draymond Green, turns 34 on March 4
• Andre Iguodala, turns 40 on Jan. 28
• Gary Payton II, turns 31 on Dec. 1

Be that as it may, Chris Paul might be asked to lead the bench unit with him being one of the go-to scorers and playmakers on the court at that time.

#3, Declining production

Following Paul's 2020-21 season with the Phoenix Suns, his numbers have certainly gone down.

During the 2021-22 season, Paul averaged 14.7 points per game (49.3% shooting, including 31.7% from 3-point range) and 10.8 assists. But last season, he averaged 13.9 ppg (44.0% shooting, including 37.5% from 3-point range) and 8.9 apg.

Paul also went through several injuries throughout the previous season, resulting in only 59 games played. His history of injuries has certainly taken its toll on him, especially at his current age.

#2, Willingness in whatever role given

Looking at Paul's track record, he has not played in an NBA game (1,214) where he has come off the bench.

It's not to say that Paul will remain a starter or a bench player, but there might be moments in the 2023-24 season when Kerr might place him in different situations. It will be a change of pace for Paul and would even be a challenge on how he will receive this possible move from Steve Kerr.

#1, Locker room tension

Chris Paul has already had his moments with the Golden State Warriors, in which they would be rivals in regular season and postseason games. This time around, things are different with everyone being part of the same team.

Previously, in an interview on "The Pat Bev Podcast With Rone," Warriors' Draymond Green was vocal about the Chris Paul acquisition.

"To just go front and act like all of those things was fake – I've publicly said I don't like Chris Paul," Green said. "I'm not gon be like, 'Ah, that changed now he's my teammate.' No, I look forward to talking amongst men. I look forward to working with another adult."

From Green's comments alone, he has not forgotten the battles and tensions he has had before with Paul. However, he remains firm in his mindset that both are professionals working towards the same goal.

Be that as it may, it remains interesting if this dynamic will develop into any locker room problems in the upcoming season.