A) Naturally, swapping a 6-11 wing who may be the most effortless "points on the board" scorer since a healthy T-Mac and a 6-0 point guard makes perfect sense.
B) I'd take 2001 AI or 2007 LBJ over CP3 in a heart-beat, but I brought them up to illustrate the silliness of your "can't bring them to the finals" argument.
I would never take AI over Paul. It is just about impossible to put together a title team around AI. It took Larry Brown finding a bunch of really good team defenders that would stay interested in playing defense while watching a selfish undersized SG just toss up shot after shot.
Give me the talented guy that can play with others and make them better over talented guy that only plays for their own glory.
You stick AI with a quality big who's equally obsessed with winning and you're on the path to good things.
Like if he'd made it to the T-Wolves with KG. Those dudes would've complemented each other well, both in competitive attitude and on the court. (and they would've emotionally abused everyone else in that locker room to the point where we'd still be reading hilarious stories about it).
But now things are getting silly.
If you don't think Chris Paul's team is awful, especially compared to their playoff contemporaries, then you're not paying attention.