Grade the Trade: Golden State Warriors send Chris Paul back to LA in latest blockbuster idea

Would the Warriors accept this trade?

In 2019, Kevin Durant was set to depart the Warriors in free agency and sign with the Brooklyn Nets. General manager Bob Myers and the Warriors front office, including now-GM Mike Dunleavy Jr., worked out a sign-and-trade deal to bring back D’Angelo Russell to Golden State. That maintained Durant’s salary slot, and a few months later the Warriors were able to move Russell to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Andrew Wiggins and the pick that would become Jonathan Kuminga.

Dunleavy has his chance to do the same thing again here, using Chris Paul’s salary to turn Jordan Poole, a player the team wanted to move, for a star. The Clippers likely wouldn’t have wanted Poole, but they may indeed want Chris Paul, Gary Payton II and Jonathan Kuminga.

This trade has incredible upside. At his best Paul George is a fringe top-10 player in the league, a talented scorer, shooter and playmaker who also locks down opposing wings on the other end. That’s the kind of player who helps propel an aging-but-talented core in Golden State toward another title.

The issue with George is that he has battled injuries over the past few seasons, including missing the Clippers’ entire playoff series this past season. At 33-years-old, this may just be the reality for George moving forward. Do the Warriors have enough confidence in their medical staff to take a swing at him?

The answer here is yes. It’s hard parting with Kuminga right after giving up on Poole (or technically at the same time in this version of the deal) but the Warriors are clearly all-in on competing for a title while Curry is still a top five player in the league. George and Klay Thompson would be an incredible shooting duo on the wing, which along with Curry would stretch defenses to their limit. That upside is worth the downside risk of George’s injury history.

Stephen Curry. Klay Thompson. Paul George. Andrew Wiggins. Draymond Green. Kevon Looney. That’s an incredible top six and with Moses Moody the next man up. The Warriors would need to have success finding role players on the minimum behind that, but this would be an all-in move to try and win another title. That’s the kind of swing you make with a player like Curry.

Grade: A-