Before the 2023 NBA Draft even tipped off, a shocker of a blockbuster deal trickled through.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Golden State Warriors traded Jordan Poole away to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Chris Paul. It’s a seismic move that indicates how the Warriors will try to remain contenders in the remaining years of the Steph Curry era. On the flip side, Poole joins a Washington operation that doesn’t appear very keen on putting out a triumphant on-court product any time soon.
Which team got the better end of this trade? Let’s break down all the ins and outs of the Paul-Poole deal between the Warriors and Wizards.
The details
Per The Athletic’s Shams Charania:
Warriors get: Chris Paul
Wizards get: Jordan Poole, a 2027 second-round pick, and a protected 2030 first-round pick
Golden State Warriors
If he can stay healthy in the postseason — a big IF — Chris Paul is exactly what the Warriors need on offense. With Steph Curry at the helm, Golden State can already outshoot almost anyone out of a gym. What they needed was a calming presence who can facilitate their offense and find a great shot in the crunch.
They weren’t getting that with Poole’s very mercurial play and shot selection. They will get it with Paul — perhaps the greatest pure floor general in NBA history. And for the living legend/future Hall of Famer, he gets to continue pursuing his first-ever NBA title.
A win for everyone involved in the Bay Area.
Grade: B+
Washington Wizards
After trading away from Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis, I think it was already pretty clear the Wizards had no intent on even trying to be competitive any time soon. It’s not as if Beal and Porzingis were leading to many wins anyway.
To me, to get Poole back in a trade for one of the best point guards ever is a definitive statement that Washington wants to tank. At his best, Poole is a microwave scorer capable of dropping 35-plus on you on any given night. At his worst, his decision-making on the court gets you to pull out all of your hair.
If the Wizards want to win, acquiring Poole will not help that objective. If the Wizards want to tank and hope for high draft picks for a while, then Poole will assist. I think the latter describes their thought process.
Grade: A-
