Chris Paul‘s tenure with the Golden State Warriors is still in its infancy. Paul is still adjusting to Steve Kerr‘s system and his new teammates. However, it’s fair to say that the partnership hasn’t paid the immediate dividends many had hoped for. A significant part of the slow start has been Paul’s shooting slump, with the veteran shooting 39.5% from the field and 31.8% from deep.
Paul will undoubtedly figure it out and prove why he was considered the ideal Golden State addition this summer. However, according to Ben Stinar of Sports Illustrated, the Warriors should look to flip the veteran guard to shore up their center rotation while also adding some more offense to the bench rotation.
Stinar’s trade proposal looks like this:
Warriors receive: Devonte’ Graham, Zach Collins, and Doug McDermott Spurs receive: Chris Paul and Cory Joseph
Collins would be a solid fit within the Warriors rotation. His presence would give Kerr a legitimate big man to run actions through while also providing an interior scoring presence. Graham and McDermott would likely both secure roles in the rotation, too.
However, it’s unlikely the Warriors would part ways with Paul so soon after acquiring him. Recently, HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported that Golden State would consider retaining Paul beyond the current season, assuming they can make the money work. A team doesn’t release that type of messaging for a player they’re looking at trading.
Paul has endured a slow start to his life in the Bay Area, yet his career productivity is reason to believe he will grow in stature throughout the regular season. While the Warriors do need an additional big man, there will be options available to them that wouldn’t involve moving on from their veteran bench guard.