The biggest trade that never happened in the last decade was the Chris Paul trade to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers were coming off the second of their two straight championships. The NBA landscape changing deal did not happen and Paul eventually ended up going to the Los Angeles Clippers. Another deal though almost went through with Paul around that time. Chris Paul almost went to the Golden State Warriors for Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry.
Warriors almost traded Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson for Chris Paul.
Before he was traded to LA, Golden State offered the two guards and a first-round pick.
CP3 told Bob Myers he wouldn’t sign an extension if they made the trade.
Imagine. 🤯
(via @SherwoodStrauss) pic.twitter.com/qWXJjUNNma
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 16, 2020
What If Chris Paul Was Traded to the Golden State Warriors for Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson
Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson’s Value Back Then
This is a shocking revelation and if it happened it could have changed the complete makeup of the NBA as we know it today. Before they were some of the best players in the league Thompson and Curry had to take steps to become the talents that they are now. When Curry was drafted after that magical NCAA tournament run there were questions about his shot selection and his slight body.
Some didn’t even think he would be better than Daniel Gibson who was part of the first LeBron James run with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He played a bench role and only played a couple of years in the league. Klay Thompson only averaged 12.5 points per game his rookie year.
What this Trade Would Have Meant to the NBA
Paul was one of the best point guards at the time in 2011. Teams would have given up anything for him. The Warriors even threw in a first-round pick into the deal. As we sit here today this trade looks laughable as that would be a horrible trade. We have seen both Thompson’s and Curry’s potential.
If the trade went through the New Orleans Hornets/New Orleans Pelicans franchise would be enjoying those years of Finals appearances instead of the Warriors. As we all know the Hornets eventually became the Pelicans. There wouldn’t have been any Anthony Davis or Zion Williamson as the Pelicans would be enjoying years as a contender.
There wouldn’t have been any Lob City as the Warriors would now have Paul. The Clippers may have not been able to enjoy those years of finally being relevant. Those years helped build them up to what they are now. The Warriors would have spent most of the decade reeling as that would have been a mistake.
Instead of Finals appearances, there would have just been years in the lottery. Paul was the deciding factor in the deal as he wouldn’t sign an extension so the trade wouldn’t go through. The Warriors have Chris Paul to thank for helping them not make the biggest mistake in franchise history.
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