The Golden State Warriors’ shocking trade for Chris Paul (subscription required) could just be the beginning. The goal was to get Jordan Poole’s contract off their books and stay in title contention. Both were accomplished, but finding a way to fit CP3 into their system could be messy.
Paul is not a seamless addition. Golden State has an all-time great point guard that is still in his prime. Do they go small in the backcourt and start CP3 next to Stephen Curry? If not, is Paul willing to accept a bench role? The future Hall of Famer is not used to the Dubs’ motion offense and there could be issues in working things out.
The Warriors may have taken Chris Paul to flip him just like they did with D’Angelo Russell in 2019. CP3 has a non-guaranteed year left on his contract, and his time with Golden State could be brief. The Dubs may move on before February’s trade deadline, and plenty of talent will be available.
Players the Golden State Warriors might replace Chris Paul with by the trade deadline
5. Karl-Anthony Towns
Minnesota is facing a make-or-break season. They did not trade a king’s ransom for Rudy Gobert to be bounced in the first round of the playoffs. Anthony Edwards is ascending, but does their frontcourt pairing work? KAT only played 29 games last season because of injury. The Timberwolves could still be sorting things out, but the time to decide is now.
If they get off to a slow start, expect Tim Connelly and the front office to make changes. The easiest move would be trading Towns. The 6’11 big man is just starting a five-year $158.2 million extension, which creates a tough decision for the Dubs.
KAT is an elite shooter and scorer that provides a ton of offense. He is no stranger to flying around screens and drilling threes, but are the Warriors willing to take on his long-term money? It would keep them in the repeater tax and over the second tax apron for the foreseeable future. Having the 27-year-old big man improves Golden State’s title odds. Is that what management wants or is it finally time to save money?
Karl-Anthony Towns is not the perfect fit for the Golden State Warriors, but he won’t be the only player available that is earning significant money.