It's safe to say that DeMarcus Cousins is not a big fan of the Golden State Warriors' trade for Chris Paul. He doesn't hate it per se, but he simply doesn't understand the team's reasoning behind the move.
According to Cousins, he doesn't see Paul really improving the Warriors. Golden State traded Jordan Poole, Patrick Baldwin Jr., Ryan Rollins, a 2027 second-round pick, a protected 2030 first-round pick and cash considerations to the Washington Wizards in exchange for the veteran playmaker. Boogie admitted he thought the Dubs made the move in order to clear their books, but based on what has been said so far, Steve Kerr and co. have plans to utilize the Point God in the 2023-24 season.
“I didn't understand the Chris Paul trade. … But based on what I've seen in this stage of his career and the addition to the team, I don't really see that elevating the Golden State Warriors,” Cousins said while speaking to SiriusXM NBA Radio.
DeMarcus Cousins did say that he could be mistaken with his assessment, but until Chris Paul actually performs and proves him wrong, it's unlikely he'll change his mind about the deal.
And to be fair to Cousins, he's not the only one confused by the trade. While moving Jordan Poole was necessary for the Dubs considering their payroll and team chemistry, it's truly hard to make sense of their thinking about using Paul. First and foremost, CP3 doesn't fit well with their style of play that has so much emphasis on ball movement. Maybe they wanted some variety, but it's hard not to be worried since they are stepping away from the system that made them a massive success.
"I didn't understand the Chris Paul trade… I could be wrong…. But based on what I've seen in this stage of his career and the addition to the team, I don't really see that elevating the Golden State Warriors."
—DeMarcus Cousins
(via @SiriusXMNBA) pic.twitter.com/IMHpGOZ472
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 6, 2023
Fans react on DeMarcus Cousins' take
Sure enough, fans are split on DeMarcus Cousins' take about the Chris Paul trade. Like him, many argued that it's quite the high-risk decision for Golden State, especially considering Paul's age and injury history in the playoffs.
“I think of all the people who the warriors could have chosen, Chris Paul would not have been the one I would have chosen. I feel like it is some sympathy to let him get a ring. I have not been impressed since before he came to the Rockets,” one commenter said.
Another fan argued, “Paul is one of the best Point Guards of his era but he's aging and his availability and performance on the court is questionable at a potential run for a Championship. Poole has a huge upside and has already proved his value and was a integral part of one championship already.”
“I'll say this. If he comes in w[ith] an ‘I'm starting or departing' attitude, DeMarcus is absolutely correct,” a third Warriors faithful shared. Another person said, “Boogie is right! Worst trade in the History of the NBA!”
Of course there are plenty of others who see the merit of bringing in Paul, especially if he accepts a bench role behind Stephen Curry. Not to mention that Paul has a reputation for helping struggling franchises into winners like what he did with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Phoenix Suns.
“Chris Paul is an ‘X Factor'!!! He's a guy who can score for the most part whenever he wants while creating plays for any & everyone else on the team . Not for sure, but sounds like Cousins might be referring to the ‘Man in the Mirror,'” a Twitter user said.
A second commenter backed up the Warriors' decision as well with a different reasoning, saying that it's for “point guard insurance, and kept him away from rival Grizz, LAL and LAC… and can trade him for something at the deadline if not working out.”
Furthermore, another Golden State supporter tried to make sense of trading a young guard for an aging veteran, highlighting Poole's turnover rate. For those not in the know, Poole was in the Top 5 in turnovers in the 2022-23 season. He's fourth on the list with 252 total turnovers, only behind Trae Young, Anthony Edwards and Russell Westbrook.
“It's called being the turnover leader in the whole entire NBA that was basically caused by the second unit because the first unit was number one in all the NBA in the system passing…. Paul is going to make them more efficient he's a playmaker,” the social media user explained.
It remains to be seen how CP3 will perform with the Dubs and how Steve Kerr plans to use him come the season, but until they play, there will certainly be plenty of doubts on the team.
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