Why Golden State Warriors Traded for Veteran Point Guard Chris Paul

• Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr has said his team needed a shift after they acquired Chris Paul
• The veteran point guard now teams up with Stephen Curry looking to make a run at the title
• Paul has been traded twice this month but brings valuable experience to the Warriors

Just before the 2023 NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors stunned the basketball world by acquiring Chris Paul from the Washington Wizards for Jordan Poole.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr has said the team needed a shift following a difficult season that saw them eliminated from the 2023 playoffs in the second round.

The trade came as a huge surprise since the franchise gave Poole a four-year, $123 million contract extension that won’t start until next season and got a 38-year-old point guard whose body is prone to breaking down towards the tail end of the season.

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The Warriors are looking to give their core of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson some needed reinforcements as their dynasty enters its final stages.

The Warriors and Paul have faced off on different sides many times, especially in the 2018 and 2019 playoffs. Paul and the Houston Rockets came up short both times. The 38-year-old guard is also looking for that elusive NBA championship.

The ex-Phoenix Suns guard averaged a career-low 13.9 points and 8.9 assists last season across 59 games, per ESPN.

Why the Warriors acquired Paul

According to the Athletic, Warriors coach, Steve Kerr said the team needed a shift without disrupting their identity.

“But the biggest point is that we sensed we needed a shift. Didn’t mean we needed an overhaul, but we needed a shift of some sort. I think everybody in the organization sensed that. And it feels like we’ve made a pretty significant shift without giving up our identity and our sense of who we are as a team. I think, all in all, it’s a very positive shift.”

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The upside of the groundbreaking trade, which also sent a protected 2030 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick, Ryan Rollins and Patrick Baldwin Jr., to the Wizards, means they remove almost $100 million in future salary commitments.

They also get one of the greatest playmakers in NBA history, and if he suffers a persistent injury, they can move his contract or flip it for another star.

Paul reacts to Warriors trade

Sports Brief earlier reported on Paul reacting to his trade, saying he is excited.

After battling Curry for years, the two will finally team up - and Paul can't wait. Curry and the Warriors eliminated Paul's Rockets in the 2018 and 2019 playoffs.

"Excited," Paul said when he was asked his feelings about the trade. "I've got that question I don't know how many times already. So, I'm really excited."