Many NBA teams have made big moves during the offseason that have already placed them at an advantage before the start of the 2023-24 season. One of the biggest moves at the very start of free agency was Chris Paul’s trade to the Golden State Warriors, which shaped the NBA market this summer in a major way. During a recent episode of his Gil’s Arena Podcast, former NBA star Gilbert Arenas chimed in on the Paul trade, equating it to Steve Nash’s move to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2012.
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Arenas is well-known in NBA circles for his unique takes on the league’s most pressing issues. The three-time NBA All-Star didn’t disappoint as he tried to flesh out a plan for Chris Paul to gel into the Dubs’ existing order. While doing so, Arenas named a Lakers team from the past that didn’t manage to achieve the best results despite having an abundance of firepower on paper.
Gilbert Arenas warns Chris Paul of the Steve Nash scenario
There has been no dearth of opinions speculating on the success of Chris Paul’s move to the Warriors. However, Gilbert Arenas is certainly the only one to compare the current combination of the Dubs roster to the 2012 Lakers. And there’s no denying that there are certainly some similarities between the two teams.
On his podcast, Arenas said, “This [the Paul trade] is one of those situations where it was like Steve Nash going to Kobe. How you play the game is not here. They [the Lakers] were better with Steve Blake cause Steve Blake knows, ‘I’d be right here, Kobe, in the corner.’ Steve Nash didn’t know that, right. So it’s one of those things where it’s like you have to understand how we play and just try to fit in.”
The 2012 Lakers were a year removed from a past Championship win as well like the Warriors are this season. The Dubs also have a core group of guys centering an aging superstar like the Kobe Bryant-led Lakers had in 2012. Now, the Bay Area team has to learn from history and ensure that they end their list of similarities with the then Lakers team right there.
Agent Zero had just the right advice for CP3 to facilitate that movement. The 41-year-old talking head told Paul to try to move faster than usual to fit into Golden State’s small ball system and keep shooting his mid-range and deep jumpers as always.
Stephen Curry on CP3’s move to the Warriors
Earlier in the summer, Stephen Curry appeared on Gilbert Arena’s podcast to talk about the Dubs’ hopes for the upcoming season. Curry revealed that he is looking forward to the impact Chris Paul’s leadership will have on the team, especially the younger guys with less experience.
“It’s one of those things where you have a guy that understands how to play basketball. He has elevated teams that he’s been on his entire carer and even at this stage, like what he did in Phoenix when he’s been there…He connects a lot of lineups for us in terms of being able to help some of the young guys to figure out what it means to play winning basketball…He’s a great leader in terms of his communication,” Curry told Arenas and his crew.
Chris Paul would certainly be hoping to cement his legacy in the league by adding a Championship ring to his loaded resume. The Point God’s inclusion to the Warriors’ dynasty will certainly make them a legitimate contender for the 2023-24 title.
