After failing to trade Chris Paul, the Golden State Warriors waived the guard to avoid paying him $30 million next season. As a result, the veteran signed a one-year, $11 million with the San Antonio Spurs. His brief stint in the Bay Area was dismal, as he played only 58 games and the team missed the playoffs. Paul’s exit was expected, but it still left Draymond Green upset.
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On The Draymond Green Show, the veteran forward said he was holding on to the hope that the guard would stick around with the Warriors next season and potentially even further. He said,
“I am very sad to know that [Chris Paul] is leaving this team because in my head I’m like [he’s] going to end up finishing his career here and that’d be dope… This is the part of the business that sucks. Like one year with C[P3] and I’m like, ‘Man, I really love this dude. He’s incredible.’ Like one of the best teammates I’ve ever had and then he gone.”
Green added that he was excited to see Paul play alongside Victor Wembanyama and help the reigning Rookie of the Year elevate his offensive production to the next level. The forward’s well wishes for his former teammate are astonishing considering he once claimed that he hated the guard.
Draymond Green’s disdain for Chris Paul
Before joining the Warriors, Paul had been a thorn in the franchise’s side for a decade. The guard was on three different teams, touted to be their rivals to win the West. While he never managed to usurp them, his notoriously antagonizing playstyle harbored hatred for him among the Warriors stars.
During an earlier episode of the podcast, the host revealed that he loathed the guard and rejected the thought of playing alongside him, a mere two days before the Warriors landed him. He said,
“[My friend] asks me sitting at the wine dinner, ‘Who’s your least favorite player in the NBA? Who could you not see yourself [playing with]? I said, ‘there’s zero f**king chance I’m ever playing with Chris Paul. It’s not happening, it cannot happen….[ Mike Dunleavy] He’s like ‘aight, it’s a little urgent, kind of need to know. We actually have a chance to bring in Chris Paul.’”
Green revealed that he changed his stance immediately and welcomed the proposition of playing alongside Paul. While the duo squashed their beef, their time as teammates was short-lived. Regardless, it helped end the animosity between the two sides and they’ll look at it as the silver lining in a rather forgettable experience together.
