Steve Kerr Explains Chris Paul Trade: Warriors Were '1 Dimensional with' Steph Curry

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr said the addition of Chris Paul will allow the team to stop being "one dimensional" on offense next 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 Robin Lundberg of Sports Illustrated. "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 and he'll know how to control the tempo. It's hugely important—especially in playoff games—to have guys like that."

The Warriors traded Jordan Poole, Patrick Baldwin Jr., Ryan Rollins, a 2027 second-round pick and a protected 2030 first-round pick to the Washington Wizards for Paul last month. The deal was largely structured as a future money saver for the Warriors, who would have owed Poole $128 million over the next four seasons versus the $30.8 million guaranteed remaining on Paul's deal.

Since the trade announcement, there has been consistent speculation regarding Paul's role. The future Hall of Famer has never come off the bench in his 1,214 NBA games. Looking at the Warriors' roster structure, the most logical place for Paul would be in a sixth man role—something Paul did not sound particularly keen on when talking to reporters last month.

"It would be a conversation for us when camp starts," Paul said. "Yes, Steve and I have talked and whatnot, and that ain't something that you'd be like, 'You're starting or coming off the bench,' and we'll figure all that stuff out."

Curry seemed to address the potential tension last month during an appearance on Real Ones, saying he wants teammates who will check their egos at the door.

"You have to bring your egos, bring your full identity of who you are at the table. But you also have to know when to sacrifice for the betterment of the group," Curry said. "We know that there's, you could argue, seven guys that they should start. Seven guys that can argue they should finish games. Do the math. There's gonna be two people, outside of the equation."

It's unclear if that was a coded message to Paul, but last season's Warriors struggled with cohesion as players like Poole and Jonathan Kuminga longed for more consistent roles. Golden State is clearly hoping moving a younger player like Poole for a ring-hungry veteran like Paul will shift the equation back to harmony.