The Warriors better have a long-term plan after Chris Paul trade
The Warriors solved their Jordan Poole problem and picked up Chris Paul in the process. But what’s the plan for a 38-year-old point and his grinding style?
The Warriors stole headlines before the NBA Draft, completing a trade to send Jordan Poole, Ryan Rollins, a 2027 second-round pick and a protected 2030 first-round pick to the Wizards for Chris Paul.
The talent is undeniable but the fit is weird. The Warriors are a team that is built on a lot of motion and spacing. Paul is best used when he is able to slowly move the ball around the court with a lot of dribbling.
The deal creates a lot of financial flexibility over the next few years but the Warriors needed frontcourt help a lot more than a ball-dominant point guard. But the Warriors may not have had a lot of choices given Poole’s poor postseason and enormous contract. Now that they have Paul, the Warriors need a plan.
What is the Golden State Warriors plan for the next few years?
Chris Paul only has two more years on his deal. He has a max deal but his contract is non-guaranteed for the next season. The Warriors could basically use him as an expiring contract in any deal.
Golden State is clearly looking to create cap space. This is a team that wants to lower their payroll going forward. With the way that the luxury tax has heavy penalties for teams that are in it, it was wise for the team to get out of it. Golden State only gave up a protected 2030 first-round pick to shed a player who could be viewed as a bad contract after his playoff performance this season.
Chris Haynes did report that the Warriors will keep Chris Paul going forward. At the end of the day, the Warriors were able to get out of a bad contract for only one first-round pick. This allows the team to have a lot more flexibility when it comes to making decisions in the coming seasons. Now they need to make the right choices.
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