NBA star Chris Paul is set to be traded to the 2021/22 champions the Golden State Warriors.
ESPN have reported that Paul is set to be traded to the Warriors following an agreement with the Washington Wizards. Paul was traded to the Wizards from the Phoenix Suns in a previous deal involving Bradley Beal.
The Suns are set to form a new superstar trio featuring Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Beal following the trade. In return, the Suns sent Paul, Landry Shamet and some draft picks to the Wizards.
The deal, it was reported at the time, would need to take a few days to sort out in order to find a new team for Paul. Now the 38-year-old is set to move to San Francisco this off-season.
The deal to bring Paul to the Warriors will also see the Wizards receive a 2030 protected first-round pick and a 2027 second-rounder. In addition, the Warriors are also sending Jordan Poole to Washington as part of the trade.
The news of the trade comes just hours before the start of the 2023 NBA Draft. Washington have the number eight overall pick in the first round of the draft, while the Warriors have the No.19 selection.
That number 19 pick for the Warriors is the franchise’s only selection in this year’s draft. While for the Wizards, they have two further picks in the second round at No.42 and No.57 overall.
News first emerged last week that a deal had been agreed to send Paul to the Wizards as part of the trade for Beal and the Suns. The veteran point guard has spent the last three seasons in Phoenix, having previously played for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, LA Clippers and the New Orleans Hornets after being drafted number four overall in 2005.
When the news emerged, Paul later admitted while appearing on Good Morning America that he found out about the trade whilst travelling to New York. The future NBA Hall of Famer gave an honest answer when asked for his thoughts on the trade.
“I was surprised, too,” Paul told Good Morning America on June 19. “I found out on the plane yesterday flying here for this. In this league, anything can happen so you just figure out what’s next.”
When asked for his first reaction to the news, Paul laughed and joked: “‘What’s happening?’”
Paul has a partially guaranteed $38m option in his contract for the 2023/24 season. Before the news of a trade with the Warriors emerged, there was speculation that the guard could either return to play for the Clippers or join the Los Angeles Lakers, instead.
