The Golden State Warriors made a surprising move by sending Jordan Poole to Washington in exchange for future Hall-of-Famer Chris Paul. Although the idea of moving Poole has been going in for weeks now, it’s shocking that they would do it for CP3. With the blockbuster trade in the Bay Area, between the Warriors and the Wizards, who definitely won this trade?
This potential starting five for the Warriors 👀🔥 pic.twitter.com/RuGRe0MDhL
— ESPN (@espn) June 22, 2023
The Golden State Warriors, who fell short in the 2023 NBA playoffs are parting ways with Jordan Poole next season
The up-and-coming star, Jordan Poole, just signed a hefty $128 Million deal after winning the 2022 NBA championship. However, after being underwhelming in this year’s playoff tournament, Poole is being dealt to the Washington Wizards in a trade package that would allow the Warriors to acquire a veteran point guard. Here’s the complete detail of the blockbuster trade:
Golden State Warriors receive: Chris Paul
Washington Wizards receive: Jordan Poole, Ryan Rollins, a 2027 second-round pick, and a 2030 protected first-round pick
ESPN Sources: The Washington Wizards are finalizing a deal to send Chris Paul to the Golden State Warriors for a package that includes Jordan Poole and future draft assets. pic.twitter.com/kpNkhqFicp
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 22, 2023
Golden State gets rid of Jordan Poole and his lucrative 4-year/$128 Million contract
It’s safe to say that Jordan Poole, despite getting the bag last season, did not live up to his potential in the 2022-2023 season. Poole underachieved in the 2023 NBA playoffs which cost the Warriors another championship run.
He is among the highest-paid players on the Warriors roster, a team that features Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Andrew Wiggins. Well, they are getting another player with another huge contract (i.e. Chris Paul), but he only has a year remaining on his massive deal, so that wouldn’t be such a problem for Golden State. If Paul decides to play at 39 years old, he may be re-signed at a veteran’s minimum, which is a pretty good deal actually.
The New Look Warriors are still legit contenders; The Wizards? Err, not so much
Steph Curry said that he wants to run it back with the Warriors’ core (i.e. him, Klay, and Green). With Draymond Green testing free agency, that would be a tough case to handle. However, the addition of Chris Paul – although it’s five years too late – can be a nice boost to their already great team. Since Paul only has 1 year left in his contract, the 38-year-old point guard can be part of an experiment in Golden State.
Although Jordan Poole is younger and still has lots of potentials, Chris Paul is undeniably one of the best point guards in history, and the Warriors may or may not get the most out of him next season. Last season, CP3 averaged 13.9 points, 8.9 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.5 steals for 59 games. Not bad for a 38-year-old point guard. On the other hand, Jordan Poole did more damage by averaging 20.4 points, but he was nowhere to be found during the playoffs. That being said, he would basically be putting huge numbers next season in a rebuilding team, which is the Washington Wizards.
So, who won the trade?
It’s a very close one but with the Golden State Warriors aspiring to win now, it would be safe to assume they won this trade. ESPN graded the Warriors acquiring Chris Paul with a B+, while they had the Wizards and Jordan Poole acquisition with a C+ grade. Generally, the Warriors definitely won.
Who won the Chris Paul-Jordan Poole trade? 🧐
Check out the latest NBA trade grades from @ESPNPlus ➡️ https://t.co/BFzauu3mqD pic.twitter.com/AOMzU3xgrx
— ESPN (@espn) June 23, 2023
Well, some of you might disagree, and we can’t blame you. Trading a 24-year-old rising star and some draft picks for a 38-year-old “washed and old” point guard doesn’t seem quite so fitting. Plus, Chris Paul tends to be absent on the biggest stage. In the long run, the Warriors may get better with Paul being the floor general he is with Steph Curry making his shots. But, that’s just my two cents.
Do you agree with our take? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below. For more content, stay with us here at Spiel Times. Make sure you subscribe to our push notifications and never miss an update. You can also follow us on Spiel Anime, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Until next time!
