Trade Grades: Chris Paul Headed to Warriors, Jordan Poole to Wizards in Stunner

Chris Paul is on the move again in his second shocking trade of the summer.

Paul, 38, is headed to the Warriors in exchange for Jordan Poole, according to multiple reports. The Wizards will also acquire a protected first-round pick in 2030 and a ’27 second rounder. The Point God averaged a steady 13.9 points and 8.9 assists per game for the Suns last season, though he notably missed the final four games of the playoffs with a groin injury. Poole, 24, averaged 20.4 points a night for Golden State, starting 43 of the 82 games he appeared in.

Paul, a 12-time All-Star, is in the second-to-last year of a contract that is nonguaranteed for next season. Poole is about to enter the first year of a four-year deal with an average annual value of $32 million.

Let’s grade the deal.

Warriors: B+

Newly minted GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. wasted no time in taking his first big swing, and it could prove to be a worthy one. Poole is talented as a scorer, but his playing time was inconsistent in the postseason due to his defensive struggles and inconsistent offense. Paul is almost the diametric opposite. While not a volume scorer, CP3 can take care of the ball and help set up others offensively.

Playing with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson should help extend Paul’s shelf life. He’s struggled staying at peak form deep into the playoffs the last three years, in large part because of the offensive burden he carries. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Paul come off the bench and have his minutes dip below 30 a night, if only to keep him fresh for the spring. He can also theoretically play alongside Curry and Thompson, who are demons off the ball. How CP fits in with the Dubs’ fast-paced, chaos-oriented style of basketball will be interesting to watch develop, but there are far worse players to try to integrate next to a championship core. At the very least, he immediately turns into the best backup point guard in the league—which is not insignificant considering how quickly Golden State tends to fall apart when Curry sits.

Contractually, the Warriors are saving money in the long term, which is important for a team threatening to zoom past the second tax apron. Golden State can cut bait with Paul next summer if the fit isn’t right, or even use his deal in another trade by the deadline if necessary (thanks to his practically expiring status).

Finally, any concerns of Golden State playing on two timelines seem to be put to rest. You could not get further away from a youth movement by trading Poole for Paul.

P.S. I am curious about whether this trade will have ramifications for Draymond Green, who is entering free agency. Green has played pseudo-point guard for the Dubs over the years. The offensive fit among him, Paul and Curry isn’t the cleanest. Hmmmmm.

Wizards: C

Not sold on this move for Washington. If you’re going to tear things down, tear things down! On one hand, the Wizards bought low on Poole and picked up a first for a player they had no intention of keeping. On the other hand, Poole’s value hit rock bottom for a reason. And if he couldn’t make it work within the Warriors culture and alongside Steph, can he blossom on a tanking team?

Sure, Washington has to pay someone over the next few years as they rebuild, but I don’t understand taking back Poole’s long-term salary while trying to play for the lottery. Is he really going to build his value back up in the meantime? Also, that first-rounder is reportedly top-20 protected, so even if it conveys in 2030, it will be in the back third of the draft.

Ultimately, for a team not going anywhere any time soon, taking a gamble on Poole is not disastrous. But even with a rising cap, I’m not sure it was worth Washington’s time to take on his contract.