Jordan Poole is out of Golden State. In a crucial moment where many franchises are building star caliber rosters, the Warriors made their move and let go a young star to acquire a veteran like Chris Paul.
The NBA is seeing blockbuster trades almost every week. Bradley Beal to the Suns, Kristaps Porzingis and the Celtics or Marcus Smart joining forces with Ja Morant.
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However, at least for Stephen A. Smith, the Golden State Warriors aren’t doing any favors to Stephen Curry by trading Jordan Poole for Chris Paul and also giving a protected 2030 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick.
Stephen A. Smith slams Warriors after Chris Paul’s trade
Jordan Poole was supposed to be a long term star of the Golden State Warriors playing alongside Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. That’s why, just a few months ago, he got a four-year, $140 million extension.
Since he was drafted with the 26th overall pick in 2019 NBA Draft, Poole had an immediate impact helping the Warriors to be a dominant force in the West. In the 2021-2022 season, the guard was crucial in that magical championship run when they defeated the Boston Celtics in the finals.
However, it’s over for Poole and Stephen A. Smith wasn’t happy about it. “I did not like it one bit and I love some CP3. I think he’s one of the greatest point guards who have ever played this game. Future Hall of Famer. I just don’t like this from a basketball standpoint.”
Smith explained his reasons. “I don’t see how this makes it better. I don’t see how it’s an ideal fit. I just looked at this and said: Really? This doesn’t seem to make much sense. I don’t think that it’s going to make them better or more of a championship contender. Obviously, this is a business move.”
Furthermore, Stephen A. Smith believes the Warriors had other needs. “That’s the move that you make? I thought they needed some more size. Certainly, it’s not gonna make them worse because Chris Paul doesn’t make teams worse. We know that. It’s just that in this situation, I don’t think it’s a good one. I just don’t like it.”
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Finally, the analyst talked about Paul’s role for Steve Kerr. “Paul is gonna be somebody that stabilizes this second unit from the standpoint of being on the court with Kuminga and others.”
