The Golden State Warriors are reportedly trading Jordan Poole to the Washington Wizards in exchange for veteran point guard Chris Paul.
To say the Washington Wizards are dealing would be an understatement in the NBA world. In the past week, the Wizards have traded Bradley Beal to the Suns, Kristaps Porzingis to the Celtics and now Chris Paul to the Warriors.
Washington has completely revamped their roster, taking on a long-awaited rebuild after sitting in the middle of the East standings for the past few seasons. In trading Paul, Washington's front office has flipped an asset they received in exchange for Beal to a contender.
NBA trade grades: Who won the Warriors-Wizards trade involving Chris Paul and Jordan Poole?
Golden State has acquired a player with postseason experience in Paul, and a future Hall of Famer. While he's taken a step back in recent years, Paul brings the kind of knowhow and Point God expertise necessary to lead any team, including a Warriors squad which already features a backcourt with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.
It's unclear as of now whether or not Paul will rework his contract as a member of Golden State. That would be quite helpful considering Draymond Green recently opted out of his contract.
Warriors trade grade: B
Paul is a tremendous talent, and in more limited minutes, can play a vital role on a championship-level roster. The real winner of this trade is arguably Paul, who has yet to win an NBA title, but desperately covets one. CP3 may not start on this Dubs team, but he should get enough playing time to leave his mark. It'll be interesting to see how he fares in Steve Kerr's system, which is predicated on spacing and ball movement.
Wizards trade grade: B+
Surprisingly enough, Washington was able to land an asset in Jordan Poole for virtually nothing. Yes, Paul is a capable point guard, but he was more likely to be bought out with the Wizards than play meaningful minutes on a postseason contender. Poole, meanwhile, is young enough to grow with the next Washington core — whatever that looks like. Poole can score in bunches, and if he makes the necessary improvements to his game — can be a difference maker.
