Thompson: Chris Paul and Steph Curry joining forces prove that life is a flat circle

Chris Paul he is a warrior.

That reality alone is enough to question whether we have been transported to another universe. But it gets even more trippy.

Chris Paul possibly coming off the bench for the steph curry-led Warriors, and certainly embracing a role as Curry’s co-star. Ten years ago, this would be blasphemy. Five years ago, unlikely. A day ago, she would have said no way.

It seems that Curry was right. He said “this is not 2014 no meand he wasn’t lying.

Chris Paul is a warrior.

This is like Green Goblin joining forces with Spider-Man. Mentor and friend turned into rivals, turned into allies. Next, Diddy will join Death Row Records.

There is some poetry for this golden state bombshell, some intrigue in this plot twist. But it’s set to be a touching score for Curry and Paul’s relationship. One that is at least 15 years deep.

There’s something noble about both of them doing this, Paul for humbling himself and Curry for respecting an OG. Warriors fans won’t like it, having spent the better part of a decade rooting for Paul on Curry’s behalf. But Curry doesn’t seem to care.

Make no mistake, this move doesn’t happen without Curry’s blessing and Paul’s acquiescence. They are both big enough stars to have killed this move if they wanted to. But team sources say Curry and Paul are excited about their union, and that’s probably because they coincided. Their rivalry has certainly waned over the years, as both are haggling into their 40s. But mutual respect and appreciation for brotherhood doesn’t always mean teamwork.

But history will show that Curry is the ultimate magnet, a gravitational force that defies conventional wisdom and unwritten rules. Paul’s arrival on the Warriors is further proof that the Curry way of doing things tends to win. There is no greater sign of respect than a manic competitor like Paul who decides to take on an opponent he can’t beat.

And there is no clearer message from the Warriors than they’re all at curry’s window. Nothing indicates that it is better to change for a player 14 years older than his predecessor.

The Warriors wanted more experience, to counteract the youth that anchored their locker room last year. They also view this move as an upgrade for a secondary ball handler and playmaker. Paul is an accomplished point guard who can lead the team, especially when Curry sits down. He’s the answer to the Warriors’ rotation woes and 3-point addiction. Paul can get into his spot at midrange and punish mismatches.

Poole, in his prime, was the perfect backup for Curry, especially when Curry loses time. The Warriors now risk him becoming everything they wanted for another team. They might look back and wish they had more return on their investment on the guard they molded. But the Warriors traded Poole’s explosiveness and availability for Paul’s experience and leadership. They cashed in a potential future star for a former giant, and in doing so, they’re convinced they’ve become more solid. They also cut nearly $100 million in future wages, paving the way to avoid the more punitive damages of the new collective bargaining agreement. They addressed the theme of chemistry in the locker room, created by dramond greenThe coup last October, and because of the shaky nature of Poole’s role: the talent of a starter with a limit on reserve minutes.

The Warriors added a renowned leader, one with a curmudgeonly reputation to be sure but one who commands respect. And his decision to join the Warriors makes it clear that his only goal is to win. The mentality that Curry needed to instill in his team with a speech before Game 7 against Sacramento.

But the significance of this move isn’t just that the Warriors got older and more experienced. They changed Curry’s heir apparent to Curry’s former inspiration. Without a doubt, Paul helped propel Curry, sometimes literally, into his current stratosphere. Paul was the bar that Curry had to clear.

Curry had just completed his freshman year as a varsity starter at Charlotte Christian when 80 miles away, in the era of high school mixtapes on YouTube, remember, Paul was named to the McDonald’s All-American and Parade All teams. -2003 American. He was the pride of Winston-Salem and the face of North Carolina high school basketball. Curry saw ACC dreams in 2004 when Paul, as a freshman, dominated in his first two NCAA Tournament games, including this line against Manhattan: 29 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks and 1 turnover.

Pablo was posing as his status. The same thing happened in 2005 when he was selected No. 4 in the NBA Draft by the New Orleans Hornets, making him the highest drafted player from North Carolina since Jerry Stackhouse was No. 3 in 1995.

In 2009, Curry and his family spent time with Paul’s family, giving the slope nba newbie some knowledge and good time. If you know anything about Curry, you know those times are important.

In 2011, Curry was almost traded for Paul.

Things changed in 2014 when the two met in the playoffs. Paul was no longer a mentor to Curry, but a hindrance. when the Scissors survived that series in Game 7, it was the last time Paul would have an advantage over Curry. For many, it was evident that he was coming Curry.

a crossing It symbolized the changing of the guard.

A championship confirmed it.

A 2019 series in Houston put an end to all discussion.

The 2023 playoffs were the best opportunity for a rebuttal from Paul. Win a title with Phoenix it wouldn’t have changed the outcome, but it would have been something. But the biggest worry about Paul also killed his chances.

Injury is the number 1 issue with Paul. A hamstring strained him out of the 2018 playoffs for Houston. A groin knocked him out of the 2023 playoffs for Phoenix. But one of the advantages of playing with and behind Curry is that Paul won’t get as many minutes. He averaged 35.7 minutes in his seven playoff games this year. But before this year’s injury, he had played in 30 straight postseason games in three playoffs.

In the first-round series against the Clippers, Paul played 39, 38, 41, 38, and 38 minutes. He was injured in Game 2 of the following series. the caution of Steve Kerr, and The magic of Rick Celebrini, figures to preserve Paul, giving him a better chance of surviving a postseason challenge. Curry is insurance so he can reduce his workload and not lose ground.

So, Paul has jumped through the escalator. That’s perhaps a sign that the whole rivalry thing isn’t what it used to be, or maybe it never was what it seemed. May all these players eventually grow older and wiser and remember that they are all part of one brotherhood. That the disputes that fuel the Internet are not as intense for the main characters as the audience believes.

What it does prove is that life is a circle. That the bond created in North Carolina can survive time, competition and even misunderstandings. That eventually, most of the former superstars will have to find a safe place to land in their later years. The legends of the game deserve it.

Or we are actually in some alternate universe.

(Photo: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)