The Golden State Warriors ended up with Chris Paul in exchange for Jordan Poole, but that was reportedly a second-best choice for them.
NBA Draft day is here, and the Golden State Warriors have already drastically changed the way they plan to look during the 2023-24 season. The Warriors have sent out Jordan Poole, who they just signed to a contract extension before last season, in exchange for Chris Paul. Poole heads to the Washington Wizards who just recently acquired Paul from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Bradley Beal.
Evidently, though, there was a cleaner trade the Warriors were eyeing, and it involved them landing Beal, not Paul. According to John Gambadoro, a Phoenix sports insider, the Suns were offered the opportunity to send Paul to Golden State in return for Poole.
Instead, the Suns opted to get Beal from the Warriors.
The net result for the Warriors is still the same: Chris Paul is now on the roster, after a cup of coffee in D.C..
Suns wouldn't help the Warriors get rid of their bad contract
This swap of players exchanges big contracts from team to team, not really giving any of them any sort of financial salary cap relief. The only thing that tangibly changes for the 2023-24 season is the personnel for the dollars spent.
Looking beyond this year, though, Golden State does earn itself some potential relief in the future. Jordan Poole's extension signed before last year kicks in for real this season and lasts for four full years. Chris Paul has an out in 2024-25 since it's non-guaranteed. The front office is now led by a new face in Mike Dunleavy Jr. after Bob Myers stepped down, so the possibility for an upcoming clean slate will give him more free rein to build the team how he sees fit.
The Suns reportedly preferred Beal, who is owed an average of about $52 million per year over the next four years. Poole's extension is worth up to $35 million. That's far higher spending for Phoenix, who risks flexibility with roster building in order to get the guy they preferred. It says plenty about how they assess Poole, and their reluctance to play in directly to giving a conference rival assets.
The Suns will still certainly aim to trade Deandre Ayton at some point, too, a contract they seem to be regretting much like Golden State seemed to regret Poole's.