"We have 6 starters": Steve Kerr still facing conundrum over Chris Paul's role with Warriors
Steve Kerr realizes the conundrum the Golden State Warriors face after the acquisition of Chris Paul. CP3 brings a lot to the table as a leader and veteran star. However, he's been a starting point guard on every team he has played for thus far.
The Warriors already have a starting lineup with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson in the backcourt. Neither of them will be moving to the bench, nor will Draymond Green, leaving the Warriors in a pickle to choose two starters out of Andrew Wiggins, Kevon Looney and Paul.
Adding Paul to the lineup by removing either Wiggins or Looney makes the Warriors an extremely small lineup. Lack of size has been their Achilles heel previously. Meanwhile, Paul hasn't been as receptive to talks about him coming off the bench.
Kerr reflected on the lineup and rotation situation at his recent press conference, saying (via Warriors beat writer Anthony Slater):
"We basically have six starters, the way I look at it. And only five can go each night. So, I haven't decided yet what we're gonna do. I'm wanna see in training camp.
"We're gonna try different combinations and take a look. Obviously, all six guys are gonna play a lot of minutes for us. If this is gonna work, then everybody has to embrace it regardless of who's starting and who's not."
Warriors need Chris Paul to sacrifice his role
The Golden State Warriors have practically replaced Jordan Poole with Chris Paul this summer. Poole came off the bench and was Steph Curry's direct replacement when the latter subbed out. The young guard also played alongside Curry frequently and was part of the Dubs' death lineup.
Poole also started in a few games based on the opposition. The Warriors need this type of versatility from CP3 as well. In fact, they need him more with the second unit than their starting lineup, which has proven to have solid balance and two-way ability with decent size.
Chris Paul is the kind of player they need to run their young second unit with players like Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga. Paul has been effective in guiding inexperienced players over the last few seasons, and that's an area the Warriors want to improve at.
Inserting Paul in the starting lineup will lead to the Warriors boasting a severely undersized lineup. Looney will likely have to come off the bench, leaving the Warriors with 6'7" Draymond Green as their biggest player. It'll be easier to exploit the Dubs' defense for opposing teams early in the game.
Considering these factors, the only way Chris Paul's presence could positively impact the Warriors is if he is willing to sacrifice his role and come off the bench for the team.