Kerr praises CP3 addition: ‘We needed another playmaker’

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr believes the Chris Paul trade will provide his team with an element it was missing last season.

“Our team last year needed another way to attack, and we became a little too one dimensional with Steph [Curry] in high ball screens,” Kerr told Sports Illustrated’s Robin Lundberg.

“We needed another playmaker to give us a different look, and Chris is, as we know, one of the all-time great pick-and-roll players. He’ll know how to control the tempo. It’s hugely important – especially in playoff games – to have guys like that, and they’re hard to find.”

The Warriors acquired Paul from the Washington Wizards on June 22 for a package that included Jordan Poole and draft compensation.

Paul’s scoring, assists, and field-goal percentage declined last season, but he still finished fourth in the league at 8.9 helpers per game. The 12-time All-Star has led all players in assists five times and is widely regarded as one of the best passers in NBA history.

Kerr added that Paul is “one of the all-time great competitors,” and that his basketball intelligence will help the Warriors as well.

At age 38, Paul is one of the league’s five oldest active players. He’s heading into his 19th NBA campaign, with Golden State set to become the sixth different franchise he’s suited up for.

Paul joins a Warriors squad that lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round last season after returning most of the core that won the 2021-22 championship.

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