How a rejuvenated Chris Paul will make Victor Wembanyama better

Yesterday at 07:34 PM

Paul struggled in Golden State but if he can return to the form he showed just two years ago in Phoenix, he'll make life much easier for Wembanyama.

Victor Wembanyama had a fantastic rookie season while playing for long stretches without a playmaker. Now that Chris Paul is around, the expectations for a leap on offense from Wemby are high.

The enthusiasm is justified. Even at age 39, Paul is the best point guard Wemby has had feeding him in his young career. The veteran has the tools and knowledge to do the one thing the Spurs couldn't do consistently last season: find Wembanyama in a position to score.

Forget the Warriors' version of Chris Paul

Paul is coming off one of the worst statistical seasons of his career, only comparable with his stint in Oklahoma City in terms of assists per game and assist percentage. He also had his lowest scoring average since entering the league. The Warriors' style of play, along with having to share playmaking duties with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, partially explain the down year, but it's understandable to be cautious about the impact this version of Paul can have. A lot of those doubts disappear when looking at what Paul did just two seasons ago, when he ran the show in Phoenix and had a skilled center to work with. The Spurs don't need the superstar version of Paul. They just need the Suns version, and there's a good chance they can get it.

Paul's scoring will prevent defenses from only worrying about Wemby

When it comes to the two-man game with Wemby, the potential is tantalizing. There will be plenty of lobs and pocket passes, but there's another factor that should keep the duo effective even when the more straightforward plays are not available. Simply put, Paul can score. Everyone the Spurs ran at point guard last season, including Tre Jones, were simply not a big threat to pull up from midrange, which allowed defenses to key in on Wemby on pick-and-rolls. Opponents were happy to go under screens and dare Jones (41 percent from midrange but only 34 total attempts, mostly floaters) and Jeremy Sochan (27 percent from midrange) to hurt them. The Spurs had some midrange threats that ran some pick-and-rolls with Wemby in Devin Vassell and Malaki Branham, but they lacked the vision to find the big man consistently.

Paul combines the ability to make timely passes to the big man with a deadly jumper that has been the bane of drop coverage defenses for over a decade. He had his worst season shooting from the in-between area in his last five years with the Warriors by taking only 159 shots from that distance and connecting on just 44.7 percent of them. In his time with the Suns he took over 200 each season and in one of them hit over 50 percent of those looks. Even if we consider that Paul is slowing down as a scorer in general, including as a midrange pull-up threat, he's going from elite to above average. If opponents decide to only focus on Wembanyama, Paul should make them pay and eventually adjust, opening up passing windows that weren't there last season.

Paul's patience will get Wemby deep post looks

Paul's scoring ability makes him dangerous, but it's the patience and precise passing ability he displays on pick-and-rolls that will allow Wembanyma to get the type of close shots near the basket that Nikola Jokic gets when he combines with Jamal Murray and Tim Duncan used to get with Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili setting him up.

The pick-and-roll can be run straightforwardly and we'll see plenty of that from Paul and Wemby, but Paul is also a master of the delayed pick-and-roll that turns into a quick post-up. Essentially, the big sets a screen and rolls not necessarily to immediately catch and finish but to establish position close to the basket to receive a pass. In his time in Phoenix Paul created consistent opportunities for DeAndre Ayton and even the backup bigs, Bismack Biyombo, Dario Saric and Jock Landale. As mentioned, the threat of his pull-up jumper prevents the defense from packing the paint. Then Paul waits a beat until the big man has the seal and makes a perfect pass. From there the center essentially can launch a short hook or jumper that is hard to miss.

Imagine Wembanyama being the recipient of those passes and just shooting over defenders. He should be able to feast inside without having to tax his body trying to get position in the post. The only way to stop it is to give Paul the shot, which he can hit, or help off someone else early to prevent the pass or double team. Opponents will try to do that, especially when Jeremy Sochan is on the court, but if the spacing is decent, Paul will either find a way to make the pass inside or find open shooters while Wembanyama acts as the best decoy in the league.

Chris Paul struggled to showcase his full arsenal last season when pigeonholed into an unfamiliar role and with no quality centers to work with. Now, he'll get to share the floor with Wembanyama and Gregg Popovich has said that he just wants him to "Be Chris Paul."

The stage is set for a bounceback year for the veteran guard and a leap from Wembanyama, who should finally get the good looks he didn't consistently get as a rookie.