On Sunday, the Phoenix Suns shocked many around the NBA when they agreed to a trade with the Washington Wizards to acquire Bradley Beal for Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, second-round picks, and some pick swaps. However, it seems like the Wizards are not done making deals involving big-name players. According to a report by Shams Charania, the Wizards are looking to trade Paul elsewhere. Per Charania, the Golden State Warriors had reached out to the Suns about acquiring Paul and remain a potential landing spot.
“For now, the Wizards are going to try to see if they can flip him to a third team,” Charania said during an appearance on FanDuel TV. ”A couple teams to keep an eye on — the Clippers, the Warriors. Those are teams that did discuss potential deals with the Suns prior to this trade going down.”
It’s unclear exactly how the Warriors intend to make a move to acquire the 38-year-old Paul. If they acquired him in a trade, they would almost assuredly have to guarantee him his full $30.8 million salary for the 2023-24 season. While they may think he’s worth that much money, they would have to send back a comparable amount in a trade. The most obvious potential fit is young combo guard Jordan Poole, who is set to make nearly $28 million next season. Would the Dubs be willing to give up a young piece like Poole for just Paul, or would they need to acquire an additional player or pick as well?