Draymond Green and the Warriors spent a majority of the 2010s keeping Chris Paul from winning an NBA championship, eliminating him from the playoffs on multiple occasions.
Now, in a strange twist, the Warriors' 2023-24 NBA season objective will be to help Paul hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy for the very first time.
"We've got new faces in and I'll be straight-up about it," Green told ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk this week. "My goal this year is to help Chris Paul get his first championship. That's my goal. It's not redeem anything about Draymond. My goal is that we can help Chris Paul get his first championship."
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The Warriors stunned the NBA world this summer when they acquired the 38-year-old Paul for 24-year-old Jordan Poole and several other young players.
In an instant, Paul went from Warriors nemesis and villain to Green's teammate.
When Youngmisuk asked Green how much he hated Paul before the trade, the Warriors' star didn't sugarcoat it, while also revealing his initial thoughts on the blockbuster deal.
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"Eleven," Green said. "Eleven. Hated him. Eleven. Eleven. But I also think that's a sign of respect. And I'll be honest, I wasn't the most thrilled initially. Like 'Man, we're thinking about bringing Chris Paul in.' I didn't say 'No.' I definitely didn't say no because, again, I know who Chris Paul is, I know what Chris Paul brings. But it was like 'Whoa. All right. Cool. All right.' And then it takes a little adjusting, like 'Wow, this is real.' "
The Warriors don't open training camp until Oct. 2, but the players already are working out together. Paul and Steph Curry, friends since their days growing up in North Carolina, have stated publicly that they already have gotten some sessions in.
Green acknowledged that they've already spent time with each other and he likes what he's seeing.
"We've gotten together as a team," Green told Youngmisuk. "We've kicked it together. And the vibe feels great."
That vibe is what the Warriors are searching for this season after a turbulent 2022-23 NBA season. Coach Steve Kerr admitted he "failed" to connect last year's team in the wake of Green's preseason punch of Poole.
So now the Warriors are banking on the swap of Poole for Paul helping them get back to the NBA mountaintop.
In the meantime, Green is just excited to have another all-time great on the Warriors' roster.
"I'm a student of the game of basketball and Chris Paul is a master, and I'm looking forward to learning from him," Green told Youngmisuk.
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