Kurtenbach
Paul has been part of countless pickup games around the country with his new teammates, picking up what his new coworkers want to do while imparting some of his wisdom of nearly two decades in the league.
“You change jobs, going into a new environment, you want to be around the guys; [it's] the only way you get a chance to know each other,” Paul said. “It was cool. We got a chance to hoop, spend a lot of time together, and we've
still got a lot of work to do. But I hate it for anybody who show up to Media Day and say “what up” for the first time and not know nobody. It makes it tough.”
In a league where the best players — no matter the team — can form cliques, Paul did not arrive in the Bay with readymade friends on the Dubs' roster.
So while there was respect for Paul as a competitor, the animosity between the Warriors and the point guard —first with the Clippers, then the Rockets, and Suns — was real for both parties.
As such, the Warriors are only starting to meet
the Paul who exists outside the heat of competition.
And they seem to like him just fine. Don't expect old battles to get in the way of the team's new campaign. Paul even said Monday that he's okay to come off the bench for the first time in his career — if that's what the team needs.
Yes, there are still double-takes and plenty of jokes about this strange arrangement, but this is a professional outfit, too. Plus, Paul's a pretty charming guy off the court. You'd have to be to peddle insurance for as long as he has.
We got to know his dry sense of humor and sarcasm. It was on full display Monday.
Said Paul: “Believe it or not, it's not my first time being traded on another team.”
But this is the strangest trade yet.
And while Paul's teammates, family, and now we in the media have been given a chance to come to terms with the new, deeply peculiar reality unfolding in front of us, the fans — perhaps the toughest group — will have to wait until Saturday's preseason opener to enjoy the same privilege.
Let's get weird.