Chris Paul reportedly didn't hold back his feelings as the Warriors pursued his former Phoenix Suns teammate Dario Šarić in free agency.
Golden State got the big man it wanted when the team and Šarić agreed to a one-year contract Saturday, sources confirmed to NBC Sports Bay Area's Monte Poole. And Paul, a Warriors newcomer himself, now has a familiar face join him in the Bay.
"I’m told Paul was a vocal fan of the Warriors adding Šarić in recent days," The Athletic's Anthony Slater reported Sunday. "The duo is comfortable with each other and should form the backbone of the Warriors’ new older and more methodical second unit."
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The Warriors seemingly abandoned their two-timeline approach this year by trading away youngsters James Wiseman, Jordan Poole, Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Ryan Rollins in the span of five months. Paul and Šarić represent the win-now mindset Golden State is taking into the 2023-24 NBA season as it pursues another championship with its veteran core.
With their starting five of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney promising to pose a threat in the Western Conference, Paul and Šarić will bring chemistry and experience to the Warriors' second unit. Pairing Šarić with Paul offers Golden State two savvy vets capable of slowing the game down for Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga, who are among the team's remaining youngsters at 21 and 20 years old, respectively.
Paul and Šarić were teammates in Phoenix for two-and-a-half seasons, one of which Šarić missed with an ACL injury, from 2020-21 to midway through 2022-23 when the forward/center was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Together, they helped the Suns win the West in 2021, and Šarić scored off 41 Paul assists that season (h/t Slater).
The pair certainly will look to duplicate that success with Golden State, where Paul previously was viewed as one of the greatest Warriors villains of all time. He has been welcomed with open arms by his new teammates since being traded to the Bay, however, and now he'll have Šarić by his side as they look to help Golden State return to its championship ways.
