9. Golden State Warriors trading Jordan Poole
In one of the strangest moves of the offseason, the Golden State Warriors traded Jordan Poole (Patrick Baldwin, Ryan Rollins, a 2027 second-round pick, a protected 2030 first-round pick, and cash) to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Chris Paul. It’s easily one of the most questionable moves of the offseason.
Getting Paul back in the deal, the Warriors aren’t likely to regret trading Poole this season. And perhaps they may not even regret it next year. However, there’s a chance that if Poole continues to develop into a star (which many believe he will) they’re going to regret this move a few years down the line.
Poole is an extremely talented offensive player. If he can even become a neutral defender, Poole has the potential to be a star. Maybe he was never going to achieve that with the Warriors with how loaded of a roster they have. I’m not sure; no one could know that for certain. However, if he does become a star in Washington, it could end up being a big “what if” for the Warriors. Golden State is basically better against that possibility. We’ll see how it pays off for them.