Stunning trade brings Western Conference rivals together

Golden State is trading Jordan Poole, who turned 24 on Monday, for 12-time All-Star Chris Paul, who turned 38 in May. Washington acquired Paul in the Bradley Beal trade earlier this week, but he was never going to stay with the tanking Wizards. Though both Los Angeles teams were rumored to be interested in Paul, a different California team swooped in Thursday.

The move adds another veteran star to Golden State's aging-but-still-potent core and clears the Warriors from the four-year extension Poole signed just last summer. Poole struggled after teammate Draymond Green punched him in training camp, particularly on defense, where opposing teams routinely targeted him. Now, the Warriors are jettisoning Poole's entire contract in favor of a year of CP3.

It's stunning simply for the amount of time Paul and the Warriors have spent trying to beat each other. Paul and the Clippers won a first-round series against Golden State in 2014, then lost to the Warriors with the Houston Rockets in 2018 and 2019 - the first of those series defeats coming after Paul got hurt with Los Angeles leading 3-2.

There's also a personal rivalry between Paul and Curry. The Warriors star attended Paul's basketball camp when he was younger and worked out with Paul the summer before his rookie year. Perhaps as a result, they went at each other hard on the court. Like when Curry dropped Paul with a fancy move in 2015.

Or when Paul did Curry's patented shimmy move back to him in the 2018 playoffs.

It remains to be seen how Paul fits in with the Warriors. Does he play alongside Curry? Does Klay Thompson move to the bench? Or does CP3 become CP-6th man?

For new general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr., it's an extremely bold first move. It opens the door for the Warriors to cut their massive payroll way down after next season, when Paul and Thompson have $74 million in salary expiring. But it also opens up the chance for the Warriors to spend even bigger, using Paul's big salary spot - or to bring back Paul on a smaller deal.

Ultimately, it will feel very strange to see Chris Paul in a Warriors uniform. Like the Montagues and Capulets having a picnic together or Wile E. Coyote hugging the Road Runner. Chris Paul and Steph Curry together. Hey, it worked when they were throwing each other lobs in the All-Star Game.