There are several moments in sports that people often ask where were you? At the top of that list is Michael Jordan’s shot during Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals over Byron Russell. Another is the Miracle on Ice when the United States beat the Soviet Union during the 1980 Winter Olympics. Although this is not on the same level as those live sporting feats, last Thursday’s news that Chris Paul was traded to the Golden State Warriors felt like a where were you moment. In case you missed it, Golden State will send to the Washington Wizards, Jordan Poole, Ryan Rollins, a 2030 protected first-round pick, and a 2027 second-round pick. When I saw the breaking news, I almost fell off a chair in shock and disbelief that the twelve 12 All-Star was heading to the Bay area and playing for the Dubs. In this article, we will tell you what we love or hate about the deal and look at the way forward for both teams.
1. What I love about the deal-the Warriors were the defending champions entering last season and were prime for a repeat until Draymond Green lost his mind by punching Jordan Poole during training camp. The team was never the same after that altercation, and yet the Warriors rewarded Poole with a 4-year, 128-million-dollar deal before the start of the season. The Warriors struggled in the regular season and got eliminated in the Western Conference Semifinals. The chemistry was destroyed after Green’s altercation, and both players could not continue on the same team. Both parties will get a fresh start and an opportunity to prove their point. On the other hand, Chris Paul will get another chance to win a ring and cap an illustrious career in the NBA. Paul stated in a recent interview that it weighs on his mind, and even his children are teased at school about their father failing to win a title.
2. What I hate about the deal- it’s a bad look that Paul got traded twice within a week as a star player in the league. Paul has a reputation for getting under the opponent’s skin, but he didn’t deserve this mistreatment. I hate the deal for Paul because it felt like he had a rivalry with the Warriors going back to his days with the Clippers and Rockets. In the 2018 Western Conference Finals, the Rockets failed to close the series and lost in Game 7 with an injured Paul watching from the bench. It feels similar to the move by Kevin Durant, in effect saying, ‘If you can’t beat them, join them.’ Except that Durant became the best player on those back-to-back Warriors championship teams, while CP3 will now be a role player likely off the bench to replace Curry in the lineup. It remains to be seen whether he will feature in the closing minutes of a tight game and whether Curry will play off-ball when Paul is on the court. If the Warriors win another title, Chris will get very little credit for winning a ring based on his involvement. I hate the deal for Poole because he moves from a Warriors team in the spotlight with a chance of winning the title every year to becoming irrelevant with the Wizards, who will be looking to lose and grab a top pick.
3. Uncertain future- the Warriors and Wizards face uncertain futures but for different reasons. The Warriors are looking to make a final run for championships in the next year or 2. Chris Paul will be playing on a 1-year deal in what could be considered an all-or-nothing scenario. Also, there are doubts, whether this team will have good chemistry because Draymond Green has in the past, expressed his dislike for Paul, and there is a famous meme of Paul mocking a joke with Coach Steve Kerr. Will Paul be happy playing a backup role and fewer minutes? I think the Warriors’ biggest issue is that this trade did not address the need for a center or a wing defender. The Lakers defeated them handily because they were taller and more athletic. As for the Wizards, Poole will become the star in the capital with the departure of Bradley Beal, and Kristaps Porzingis. Poole should be able to put up big scoring numbers, and he will find good support in Tyus Jones, who got traded from the Grizzlies. The duo will play an exciting brand of basketball and could be building blocks in a massive rebuild.