Golden State Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy Jr has recently spoken out on the Jordan Poole-Chris Paul trade, and based on his comments NBA writer Mark Medina believes that the team had more than enough reasons to trade away the 24-year-old.
NBA news – Golden State Warriors
The General Manager of the five-time NBA champions Golden State Warriors recently spoke out on the blockbuster trade he made involving Jordan Poole, which brought Chris Paul to the Bay Area.
Speaking to The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami, Dunleavy Jr said that trading for Chris Paul was a “relatively easy decision” after admitting that getting Draymond Green back was a necessity and prioritized doing so.
Dunleavy Jr now believes the roster moves have given a “renewed sense of optimism and energy”, after a season which was marred by off-court issues primarily concerning the aforementioned Green and Poole, as well as a disappointing playoff run.
What does Mark Medina make of Mike Dunleavy’s comments on the Jordan Poole trade?
When asked about what he made of Mike Dunleavy’s comments that the Jordan Poole trade was a “pretty easy move”, Medina highlights all the reasons why he thinks the 24-year-old was traded from a Warriors standpoint.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the journalist said: “I think it illustrates that the Warriors had many reasons to trade Poole.”
“One, the Warriors avoided significant luxury tax penalties and salary-cap imposed rules by dealing Poole’s contract. Two, the Warriors landed a more proven veteran (Chris Paul) that can instantly impact winning more consistently even amid questions about his durability and openness toward a reduced role.”
“Third, the Warriors have financial flexibility to retain Draymond Green this summer and possibly keep Klay Thompson next summer, two players the Warriors still believe have quality basketball left in them. Fourth, the Warriors projected Poole would need more time to become a more consistent player.”
Chris Paul – the win-now player the Warriors need
Despite Jordan Poole being a younger prospect who is still learning his craft in the NBA andunlikely to have yet reached his ceiling, the Warriors’ acquisition of Chris Paul illustrates their urgency to go all-in on chasing an NBA championship now.
Over the best part of nearly two decades, CP3 has been an elite play maker and scorer, consistently putting up all-star worthy numbers. Across his career which spans more than 1200 games, per ESPN, he averages 17.9 points, 9.5 assists, 4.5 assists to go with 2.1 steals per game.
Dub Nation appears to recognize that their key players’ championship windows are rapidly winding down as they are all entering their mid-30’s, and the Point God’s addition to the team may be more beneficial in the short-term than what Jordan Poole could have contributed next season.
CP3’s ability to find his teammates in the paint may also help the younger players on the roster such as Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody find their feet and elevate their performances next season, which would only serve to increase their chances of competing for another NBA championship.
The Warriors’ intentions are clear – it is championship or bust. If they do go on to make the NBA Finals next season and win, then trading away one of their best assets in Jordan Poole would all be worth it, supporting Dunleavy Jr’s claims that it was an ‘easy’ decision to make.
However, this is the NBA, and no such certainty can be granted.