Dub Nation has four months to accept the idea of Chris Paul in a Warriors jersey before the 2023-24 NBA season starts.
And like his new fanbase, Paul, too, is getting used to the shocking turn of events after years of a high-profile rivalry with Golden State.
Just a few days after the blockbuster trade that sent Jordan Poole and other assets to the Washington Wizards for Paul, the new Warriors point guard sat down Monday with ESPN's Malika Andrews on "NBA Today" to detail how he believes the transition from villain to teammate will go.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
"It happens around this league all the time," Paul told Andrews. "It’s probably the first time I’ve been in a situation like that, but when you get out there on the court with guys that are like-minded and love to play the game the same way that I love to, I’m excited about it.
"It’s always a new process when you’re going to a new team; I’ve done it a number of times now, but I’m definitely excited about this because these guys know what it’s all about. They’ve been there. They’ve won over and over again, so I’m glad to be a part of that process."
Before their storied history as on-court rivals, Paul and Warriors star Steph Curry used to train together. Curry spent the summer working out with Paul in 2009 after being drafted by Golden State, even vacationing together later that summer at Disney World. But after Paul and the Los Angeles Clippers eliminated the Warriors from the 2014 NBA playoffs, Curry came back with a vengeance the following season and torched the league -- especially Paul's Clippers.
Golden State Warriors
In 2018, Paul's fake laugh at Warriors coach Steve Kerr went viral, then Golden State eliminated his Houston Rockets from the Western Conference finals later that season and again in the semifinals the following year. Most recently, Curry told Paul "this ain't 2014 no more" during a matchup against the Phoenix Suns in March.
There's a lot to unpack, but Paul now is focused on helping the Warriors win another ring -- and earn his first.
"We’ve known each other for a very, very long time, man," Paul told Andrews of Curry. "So I’m excited to get a chance to play alongside him, Klay [Thompson], [Andrew Wiggins], Draymond [Green], all of them. They’ve got an unbelievable organization. That team is just -- they’ve been playing together for a while, and they know what they’re doing."
Paul has had a front-row seat to much of Curry's success with the Warriors since 2009. And now, he'll look to become a part of it -- no matter how odd it might feel at first.