The Golden State Warriors sent the Washington Wizards a 2030 first-round pick and a 2027 second-rounder plus Jordan Poole for veteran guard Chris Paul.
Warriors’ fans have been shocked and perplexed in equal measure since the news of the trade broke on Thursday night. Why Chris Paul? What could be the rationale behind it?
What are the Warriors doing?
The Warriors popularized the small ball line-up and could do so because Draymond Green was capable of guarding all five positions. Add that to the fact that Curry and Klay Thompson could shoot the lights out.
However, other teams around the league have improved massively. This was evidenced by the Lakers dominating performance against the Dubs in the postseason.
In that series, Anthony Davis averaged 21.5 points, 14.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.2 blocks per game while shooting 57.8 percent from the field. He was dominant on both ends of the floor.
So, after a season where it was obvious the Warriors needed to add size, they acquire a 39-year-old injury-plagued 6ft1 point-guard, due to make $30m.
There was some speculation that he was only acquired because his deal is partially guaranteed in 2023-24. That would certainly offer the Warriors far more flexibility than Poole’s 4-year contract.
But The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson II reported that he’s there to stay (at least for this season).
CP3 is turning 39 soon, while Curry, Thompson, and Green are 35, 33, and 33, respectively. That is a really old core, still lacking size and any kind of rim protection.
Whatever the reasons are for this deal, there is a ton of risk attached. Moreso because the Dubs look to maximise the last stretch of Steph’s prime.
For now, Poole is gone, which is what a lot of fans wanted but there aren’t many who wanted Chris Paul to replace him.
