Reports: Wizards, Warriors finalizing Paul for Poole swap

[June 23, 2023]  The Washington Wizards and Golden State are finalizing a trade that would send Chris Paul to the Warriors in exchange for Jordan Poole and picks, ESPN and The Athletic reported Thursday. 

The Warriors would also send a protected first-round pick in 2030 and a second-rounder in 2027, per the reports. The Wizards are also getting second-year player Ryan Rollins.

The Wizards acquired Paul in the trade that sent Bradley Beal to Phoenix. The Wizards, as expected, are flipping Paul, though the Los Angeles Clippers had been rumored to be the top bidder for the 38-year-old point guard who has been traded five times before the latest potential deal to Golden State.

Paul averaged 13.9 points, 8.9 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals across 59 starts for the Suns in 2022-23. He has career averages of 17.9 points, 9.5 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals in 1,214 games with the New Orleans Hornets (2005-11), Clippers (2011-17), Houston Rockets (2017-19), Oklahoma City Thunder (2019-20) and Suns (2020-23).

Paul led the NBA in assists just two seasons ago when he averaged 10.8 per contest in his second campaign with the Suns.

Poole, 24, averaged a career-high 20.4 points last season in 82 games (43 starts). He's averaging 15.8 points per game in four seasons since being selected No. 28 overall in the 2019 draft.

--Field Level Media

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