The Golden State Warriors acquired Chris Paul this summer in a trade that saw them exile Jordan Poole to the Washington Wizards.
From the jump, some questioned the move.
Obviously Poole had his fair share of issues with his teammates and coaches, but he is also just 24 years old. Plus, he was an instrumental part of the Warriors winning a championship in 2022.
Moreover, Golden State acquired Paul with visions of him coming off the bench. The logic there is pretty self-explanatory: he is 38 years old and injury prone. You would prefer to save him during the regular season and then play him more intensely in the playoffs.
Unfortunately, Paul is not a fan of that idea. And it has become an increasingly greater point of frustration for all parties involved.
This week, ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst offered his two cents on the Warriors’ decision to bring in Paul.
w1ndyCP3 pic.twitter.com/2ZobOQET7D
— Edgar Great (@EdgarGreat2) August 8, 2023
“I’m not sure he extends their title window,” Windhorst said during an appearance on ESPN.
“They obviously have enormous respect for Chris Paul, that goes without saying even though he said it. The issue is, the way Chris Paul plays is not the way the Warriors play… This deal was made largely as a salary dump… Making an assumption that it’s a huge addition … I’m not there yet.”
It’s hard to fault Windhorst for being skeptical. The Phoenix Suns couldn’t get rid of Paul fast enough. And despite him essentially begging to remain on the team, in spite of the role he played in returning the franchise to some semblance of legitimacy, they refused to retain him.
Paul can definitely still be an influential contributor in some capacity – but it may not be on the terms he has laid out.
The Seattle Seahawks are having themselves quite the offseason. https://t.co/47PT3QpkuF
— Game 7 (@game7__) August 9, 2023
What’s done is done, though. Paul is a member of the Warriors.
For better or worse, all parties now need to move forward.
Will Windhorst’s trepidation about Paul’s fit with the Warriors ultimately be proven to be justified? Time will tell.
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Jennifer Withers Hoey is a former Business Development Manager who transitioned to writing about sports. With valuable connections all over the West Coast, she has used those contacts to break some of the most interesting stories pertaining to the Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Ducks, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Seattle Supersonics (RIP), and more.
