5 Chris Paul trades the Warriors must explore to return to title contention

4. Warriors make 3-team deal to get Murray

Things are not working in Atlanta. The Hawks won the lottery, but only after missing the playoffs with two All-Stars sharing their backcourt. They are expected to trade Trae Young or Dejounte Murray this summer. Both will draw interest, but the Hawks will struggle to get a monster return.

Atlanta has no need for Chris Paul, but do not rule out a trade. They could find a third team willing to offer a wing. The Wizards are expected to shop Kyle Kuzma, which could make for a blockbuster.

Would Murray work better next to Steph? He could run the second unit but would need his shooting improvements to stick. Murray would also have to find his defense, especially if Andrew Wiggins does not bounce back after a forgettable season. Murray was an All-Star in 2022, and Golden State must take chances to return to contention.

The Wizards get Chris Paul back plus another first-round draft pick. It was Washington who traded CP3 to the Bay Area in exchange for Jordan Poole and draft capital.

Kuzma would give the Hawks more shooting and size around Trae Young. It could allow Atlanta to rebuild on the fly. Getting a 20-point per-game scorer and the number one overall pick may be enough to get the Hawks back into contention.

If Golden State does not believe in Dejounte Murray’s shooting or defense, they may attempt to add pieces from a rebuilding team.