The Warriors’ trade for Chris Paul looks worse (but was still the right move)

The Golden State Warriors released Chris Paul and shortly thereafter watched him agree to a contract with the Spurs on June 30. This was no surprise. CP3 is one of the best point guards in NBA history. Teams would be interested, especially on the open market, if they could negotiate his salary.

Watching him go to San Antonio to team up with Victor Wembanyama and Gregg Popovich wasn’t ideal. The Spurs were lacking a true point guard. The 39-year-old is past his prime but will have a lot to offer at the Alamo.

Waiving Chris Paul ended the Jordan Poole trade starting in the 2023 offseason. Golden State hoped to trade CP3 and get something in return, but couldn’t find a partner. The future Hall of Famer only lasted one season in the Bay Area and the Warriors missed the playoffs. Things aren’t looking good, but it was still the right move.

Golden State still owes the Wizards two draft picks from the CP3 trade. That’s less than ideal, as Paul will likely retire before the trade. It cost the Warriors Ryan Rollins, Patrick Baldwin Jr., and money. All of that was worth it for one simple reason.

The Dubs had to terminate Jordan Poole’s contract. It quickly became clear that his four-year, $128 million contract was a massive overpayment. He is tied up until 2027 and earns an average of $32 million per season.

Poole’s fortunes have gone from bad to worse in the nation’s capital. His scoring and efficiency have dropped as he barely played 30 minutes per game on a rebuilding team. The Wizards have to keep the 25-year-old’s contract, and Poole will be one of their highest-paid players through 2027.

There would have been a massive financial impact if the Dubs had kept his contract on their books. Golden State didn’t know about the second tax increase, but it would have only added pressure to trade Poole. The Warriors cut their payroll this summer because of it. Getting rid of Poole was a must, and signing Chris Paul was a key part of that deal.

The Golden State Warriors would have loved to give Chris Paul a historic season in the Bay Area, but the combination alongside Stephen Curry was always going to be problematic. Steve Kerr was forced to bring CP3 mostly off the bench for the first time in his career, causing his numbers to continue to drop.

All of this was a must to get rid of Jordan Poole and put the Dubs in a better financial position. It’s not what fans want to hear, but sometimes the business of basketball gets in the way.