Most regretful contract list proves Warriors correct in regard to former guards

The Golden State Warriors shed themselves of major salary this offseason, with Klay Thompson's max contract coming off the books and the franchise waiving Chris Paul's non-guaranteed $30 million deal.

It leaves the Warriors in a relatively healthy situation contract-wise, possessing little in the way of bad deals and ensuring they're not restricted by the punitive tax aprons. Things could have been very different, with a mix of good management and good fortune allowing them to reach this current position.

Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole's potentially regretful contracts suggests the Golden State Warriors were right in moving on from the former guards

In a recent article predicting which contract every team will regret the most, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report identified Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole as having the most hazardous deals at their respective franchises.

Thompson's evaluation as a risky contract is particularly interesting, having just signed a three-year, $50 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks. It's easy to forget that Golden State reportedly offered the 5x All-Star a two-year, $48 million extension prior to last season.

In hindsight, the Warriors are fortunate Thompson didn't agree to that deal. If his new contract is seen as a potentially regretful one for the Mavericks, just imagine the outlook were he entering next season making around $24 million.

While they may have got lucky in regard to Thompson, the Jordan Poole situation is far more of Golden State's own doing. After giving the young guard a four-year, $128 million extension prior to the 2022-23 season, the front office clearly didn't feel comfortable paying a single dollar of that contract. They flipped Poole for Paul last offseason, having since been proven right on the former who's now seen as holding one of the worst contracts in the league.

Rather than pay Poole and/or Thompson in excess of $24 million each, the Warriors will instead pay around the same for a trio of shooting guard options in De'Anthony Melton, Buddy Hield and Brandin Podziemski.

Whichever way you spin it, that's a far better result. Sure there's the emotional side of having seen Thompson depart (and Poole for that matter), but there's no doubt that Golden State have manufactured a more effective roster build.

The Mavericks and Washington Wizards are now left holding hope that they can get some return on their extensive investment, while the Warriors are left with really only one regretful contract in the form of Andrew Wiggins who has three years remaining on his deal.