NBA Trade Rumors: Should the Warriors Swap Stephen Curry for Chris Paul?

Every hour it seems there is more and more on the Chris Paul trade front. The latest rumor involving the New Orleans Hornets guard is an interesting one coming from the Twitter account of Tim Kawakami, a columnist for the San Jose Mercury News.

Kawakami tweeted that the Hornets would trade Paul to Golden State, and one player New Orleans really wants is guard Stephen Curry.

In that situation, it makes perfect sense for the Hornets, who in any deal involving Paul, will be looking for top-notch young talent in return.

But if you're Golden State, do you make that deal?

Let's assume that Paul would sign an extension with the Warriors, which would be the biggest sticking point. Is Paul enough to part with a key young piece of your franchise? I would be very hesitant.

Curry is three years younger than Paul, and perhaps the biggest thing, he's been injury-free up to this point in his three-year career.

To acquire a guy like Paul, who is one of the best, if not the best, point guard in the NBA, you have to be willing to part with a guy like Curry. But if you're convinced that Paul makes you a better team, you better be 100 percent sure about his health.

Looking at his abilities, Paul is a great ball handler who can penetrate the lane against anyone. He's a great passer and a good scorer whose improved his range on his jump shot. His value may be even higher defensively, where he has a knack for getting his hands on balls.

Paul's stat line shows you how good he really is. But you have to be worried about his knees.

Curry, on the other hand, has the makings of a franchise player.

Comparing the two, Curry's a much more gifted scorer than Paul, with much longer range. Yet he lacks what Paul brings defensively and as a distributor.

While you almost would have to jump at an opportunity to get a guy like Paul, if you are Golden State, you have to do so with extremely caution.

You have to determine if parting with a guy like Curry, who's just getting better, is worth the price for acquiring a superstar that's injury prone.

Those knees could cause a lot of sleepless nights in Golden State.