The Golden State Warriors had nowhere else to turn in the playoffs when their beautiful game of ball and player movement was neutered by Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers. Being forced to revert to a steady diet of Stephen Curry ball screens is a luxury for the Dubs, obviously, but not a winning strategy against basketball's best defenses at the game's highest level.

Enter Chris Paul, whose overall mastery of NBA offense—whether setting the table for teammates or in his pick-and-roll bread and butter—Steve Kerr believes will give his team the stylistic versatility it lacked last season. The Warriors coach touched on Paul's addition from Team USA training camp, extolling widespread benefits of the Point God's basketball genius.

“He's so smart. He controls games. He's thinking three steps ahead all the time. He gets any shot he wants in the mid-range,” Kerr told Sports Illustrated of Paul. “Our team last year needed another way to attack, and we became a little too one-dimensional with Steph in high ball screens. We needed another playmaker to give us a different look. Chris, as we know, is 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 and they're hard to find.”

Golden State has always labored on offense when Curry goes the bench. The Warriors hope Paul's addition will stem that long-time tide, keeping the team organized and efficient offensively while making life easier on the likes of Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody.

Paul will play plenty with the Dubs' starters, too, giving them a different look with a true floor general manning the controls while Curry and Klay Thompson sprint around screens. The 38-year-old has never been especially dangerous working off the ball, beset by his deliberate shooting stroke, but certainly has the court sense and overall veteran guile needed to level up in that regard in Golden State.

There are many questions facing Paul's debut campaign with the Warriors. What's absolutely certain, though, is that they'll be a much more adaptable offensive attack with a singular playmaker like Paul in the fold.