The Warriors made one of the biggest early splashes of the offseason on Thursday afternoon, sending Jordan Poole, Ryan Rollins, Patrick Baldwin Jr., a protected 2030 first-round pick, and a 2027 second-round pick to the Wizards for future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul. However, the trade cannot be agreed upon until July 6 due to the poison pill restriction in Poole's contract extension, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks.
With Paul set to join the Warriors, he gives them a high-level ball-handler/floor general who could help them make one more push for an NBA title next season. Paul also provides the Warriors some financial flexibility, as they were able to move Poole's $128M contract. After losing in the second round to the Lakers this past season, can Golden State pick up the pieces and return to the NBA Finals for the second time in the past three years?
Let's look at the latest Warriors' 2024 NBA championship odds and advise bettors on whether they should place a wager on Golden State's futures.
MORE: Suns odds after Beal trade | Celtics odds after Porzingis trade
2024 Warriors NBA Championship odds: Before trading for Chris Paul
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| Warriors' odds to win the 2024 NBA Finals before CP3 trade | +1300 |
Despite losing to the Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals, the Warriors were still viewed as one of the top contenders to win the NBA Finals next season (+1300). The only other teams in the Western Conference with better odds than the Warriors were the Suns (+550) and Nuggets (+500).
The sportsbooks still have a ton of respect for this veteran-laden group that had its series of ups and downs this past season, ultimately leading to a 44-38 record and No. 6 seed in the West. However, Golden State showed in its first-round series against the Kings that it can still lock in and win on the road. Stephen Curry was playing at his usual high level in the postseason, averaging a career-high 30.5 points per game on 46.6 percent shooting from the field and 36.3 percent from three-point range.
On the other end of the spectrum, Poole struggled mightily in this year's postseason, which is a far cry from what we saw from him in the Warriors' title run. The former first-round pick averaged 10.3 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.2 rebounds per game. Poole also shot 34.1 percent from the field and 25.4 percent from beyond the arc. That type of performance in the playoffs is not good enough, especially after Golden State inked him to a massive four-year contract extension before the 2022-23 season began.
2024 Warriors NBA Championship odds: After trading for Chris Paul
| Warriors' odds to win the 2024 NBA Finals after CP3 trade | +1200 |
To no one's surprise, Golden State saw its odds to win the NBA title next season shorten slightly after sending Poole to the Wizards for Paul. The 38-year-old point guard slowed down in his last season with the Suns, averaging 13.9 points, 8.9 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game, which was a drop-off from the 2021-22 season (14.7 ppg,10.8 apg, 4.4 rpg).
The Warriors hope Paul can bring stability to the second unit and provide a more consistent production, which Poole struggled with this past season. It remains to be seen how Golden State will integrate Paul into their offense, as he plays at a slower pace. That being said, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr can toss around the idea of having Paul and Curry on the floor together, as we know Curry can play off the ball. If Draymond Green returns and Paul can be healthy in the playoffs next season, the Warriors might be able to give the Suns and Nuggets a run for their money in the West.
Betting advice: The Warriors deciding to move Poole for Paul on Thursday wasn't a significant needle-mover compared to the Suns acquiring Bradley Beal earlier this week. Bettors would be better off waiting to see what other moves the Warriors make this offseason before throwing down a wager on their NBA Finals (+1200) and Western Conference Finals (+650). Golden State still has to figure out what they want to do with Green, who is an unrestricted free agent after declining his player option for next season. Green plays an essential role in what Golden State does on offense and is a part of the longstanding core with Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kevon Looney. If the Warriors can find a way to add more scoring to replace what they are losing with Poole, they present a real value opportunity for bettors.