Draymond Green says Chris Paul was the reason why Suns center got a massive deal - "DeAndre Ayton looked like a bust"
Draymond Green lauded new teammate Chris Paul for elevating Deandre Ayton's game during his time in Phoenix. During an appearance on fellow NBA player Paul George's podcast, Green reflected on CP3's move to the Dubs and how it benefits the team going forward.
One area he briefly touched on is Chris Paul's ability to help young players realize their untapped potential. Green reckons Jonathan Kuminga could benefit from that like former No. 1 pick Ayton did when Paul joined the Suns.
Here's what Draymond said (via Podcast P With Paul George):
"I actually look forward to learning this from him. I think Chris Paul will completely unlock Jonathan Kuminga in his growth. CP is great with young guys. Deandre Ayton looked like a bust when CP came to Phoenix. No disrespect to Ayton, but more so a nod to CP."
(1:04:12 mark)
Ayton put up solid numbers his first two seasons, but it didn't transition into winning basketball. With Chris Paul's arrival in 2020, Ayton's production took a hit. He averaged 14.4 points, less than his rookie year (16.2) and sophomore season (18.2).
The box score tells a different story in this scenario, but Ayton significantly improved. He had a better look and feel for the game. Ayton wasn't forcing his shots.
Despite the limited touches, he bothered the opposing team more, which created better opportunities for others, especially Chris Paul and Devin Booker.
Jonathan Kuminga has tremendous untapped potential. He's spent two seasons under Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green's mentorship, but his game hasn't improved drastically. The veteran trio has gotten the best out of more experienced players than Kuminga.
The three are yet to master helping rookies and sophomores transition their games, and that's where Chris Paul's addition could be handy.
Draymond Green aims to learn how to be a veteran from Chris Paul
Draymond Green falls into the category of one of the locker room leaders and mentors in Golden State. He's now a veteran presence, and Green believes there's a significant difference between mentorship and being a veteran.
The 33-year-old said he aims to learn how to be the latter from Chris Paul when the two share the locker room this season:
"I've always been a mentor, but being a vet is a totally different thing than being a mentor," said Draymond on 'Podcast P'. "And so, then I just started trying to learn how to be a vet on the fly, and to have someone there that I can continue to watch and learn from, I'm actually looking forward to."
(1:04:56 mark)
Green reflected on his NBA journey after the Warriors' 2019 loss when he got placed into a veteran role on a young team. Veterans Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala departed while Sean Livingston retired.
He perhaps never had someone mentor and guide him into that role, which makes him look forward to having CP3 in the locker room next year.