Warriors Make Unexpected Move Trading For Chris Paul

After the Phoenix Suns traded to get Bradley Beal, everyone assumed Chris Paul wouldn't stay in Washington for long. No one, and I mean no one, would have thought the Golden State Warriors made a move to get him. Most people following the NBA expected Paul to be targeted by teams that needed a starting point guard ahead of the next season.

The Warriors did have to give up a few draft picks and Jordan Poole to get him, but I like this move given their current roster. Poole slowly found himself falling out of the Warriors' rotation in the playoffs due to poor shooting and taking ill-advised shots in close games. I like this move for the Warriors because it gives them another high-level primary ball-handler to take some pressure off Stephen Curry and allows him to play off the ball. Plus, it is great that Warriors got Poole's large contract off their books since he fell out the rotation. I also expect to see an increased amount of minutes for Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody. Chris Paul is one of the premier passers in the league and will surely help both young talents involved. I anticipate Paul coming off the bench and being one of the favorites to win the Sixth Man of the Year award next season. I have a feeling the Warriors are not done making moves either, as their new General Manager, Mike Dunleavy Jr., has something to prove and is in win-now mode.

As for the Washington Wizards, I like this move even better as they also have new management with something to prove. Assuming they do not re-sign Kyle Kuzma, the franchise is taking a hard rebuild approach, and I think acquiring Jordan Poole and Tyus Jones allows them to commit even more towards tanking. Both players will have all the freedom in the world since they are coming into bigger roles, which will allow them to put up inflated statistics. This will also raise the trade value of both players as championship-contending teams look for talent to add to their rosters. The Wizards will have a very young team this season, and it allows them to compete for the first overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. This team has been looking for a franchise player and hasn't made a top-five pick in a decade. What better way to ensure a top-five pick than to lose more games?

I like this move a lot for both sides. It makes so much sense for the Warriors to gain a veteran playmaker in Chris Paul, who wants to win right now and get the championship he has sought after throughout his long career. The Wizards look to move in the opposite direction, so acquiring more draft assets to build a young team should help them tank this season and focus on obtaining the first pick in next year's draft.