Recently, the Washington Wizards traded Chris Paul to the Golden State Warriors not even a week after making a deal to add him to their roster.
To get Paul, the Wizards would form a three-team deal with the Phoenix Suns and Indiana Pacers. Washington traded Bradley Beal, Jordan Goodwin, Isaiah Todd, the 8th overall pick in the 2023 draft, and two future second-round picks. In return, Washington would receive Paul, Landry Shamet, the 7th overall pick in the 2023 draft, four first-round pick swaps from the Phoenix Suns, and six second-round picks.
However, shortly after the deal was announced, Paul and Trayce Jackson-Davis would be shipped off to the Warriors, and in return, Washington would receive Jordan Poole, Ryan Rollins, Patrick Baldwin Jr., a first-round pick, and a second-round pick.
Many have speculated who won this deal, as it was mutually beneficial for both teams, however, there is a clear winner from the trade.
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards did an amazing job in beginning their rebuild. While their hands were tied when trading Beal as he had a no-trade clause in his contract, they still made out quite well in their deal with the Suns. Adding Paul and a plethora of first-round pick swaps could end up giving them a couple of top picks toward the tail end of the decade.
Along with this, they got a very promising guard in Jordan Poole for Chris Paul. While Poole’s run with the Warriors did not end on incredible terms, he is still a very talented player and likely will have a breakout season this year in Washington. He has a massive long-term contract, however, if he is able to take over and lead the Wizards’ offense, there is a strong chance his deal will not be looked at as negatively as it currently is.
During his peak with Golden State, Poole was playing at such a high level in the playoffs that he even took Stephen Curry’s starting spot. While he did not look like anything close to that same player after getting his contract extension, a change in scenery could be exactly what he needs to get back on track. With the Wizards not having many weapons left on the team, this easily could end up being a career year for Poole.
Golden State Warriors
In this deal, the Warriors got a veteran guard to add to their championship-caliber roster. It was clear that things were not going to work with Poole in Golden State, and the Warriors were able to move on from his massive contract and add one of the best passers of all time to their roster. Along with this, Paul’s contract will expire next season, giving them more cap flexibility moving forward.
Paul will be an incredible sixth man for the Warriors and will have no trouble running the offense when Stephen Curry is on the bench. While it will be difficult playing both point guards at the same time on the defensive end, they could be one of the scariest backcourt duos on offense.
Final Verdict
Despite the Warriors getting a very solid bench piece in this trade that fits their roster better than Poole, the Wizards are the clear winners of this deal. Poole likely will have a breakout season as the main option in Washington, and with him still being a young player, there is a chance that Washington could end up building around him.
If Paul is able to remain healthy through the 2023-24 postseason run, there will be an obvious case for the Warriors to win this trade, however, it is sadly unlikely that this happens.
