Getty/Ezra Shaw Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors embraces teammate Jordan Poole after a comeback win against the Utah Jazz at Chase Center in San Francisco.
Now in his 18th season, Andre Iguodala has seen it all. From catching alley-oops from Allen Iverson to winning the 2015 Finals MVP, the second oldest player in the league knows a thing or two about the league.
After spending six seasons with the Golden State Warriors primarily during their dominant stretch from 2014-19, Iguodala has returned to the Warriors this season in a dual role as a lesser rotation player, and helped develop the young players on the team.
Similar to what Udonis Haslem has been doing with the Miami Heat for years, Iguodala has embraced that role as the elder statesman in the locker room, looking out for the betterment of the team.
After April 7’s win against the Los Angeles Lakers, Iguodala was asked to talk about Poole’s emergence and additional responsibilities on the court with the prolonged absences of Klay Thompson and Steph Curry.
Herro came into the league three seasons ago, and immediately was an integral part of the Heat offense. His ability to knock down threes unconsciously and command better floor spacing for stars like Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo makes him a necessity for the Heat.
Poole did not enjoy the same success as he first came in. He had to mold much of his game with the Santa Cruz Warriors the first two seasons of his career. It was not until late into Poole’s sophomore campaign that we could really see how impactful he could be on the court.
“We joke about him, [Nemanja Bjelica] and myself, because we were in Miami together and we got to see Tyler Herro play,” Iguodala compares Herro and Poole. “I don’t think people knew quite how good of a passer Tyler was. And we joke, we call both of them ‘Wonder Boys’ because they are both from Milwaukee and they both have that flare and flash to their game. They both can score at a very high clip. And that can sometimes take away from the other parts of their game that they are pretty good at. They both have really good left hands; they both make those cross-court passes with one hand.”
This is quite an interesting observation as both players do not seem like skilled passers, but outside of their elite shooting, they have great court vision. Hero isn’t quite on the same level as Poole as a passer, but that may have to do with the different offensive sets the Heat run.
In terms of their shooting acumen, they are both no question going to be elite shot makers as the next generation of stars. Both are so confident in their abilities that they are not afraid to hit clutch shots down the stretch, and that has undoubtedly earned the trust of their respective executives to pay them handsomely.
Andre Iguodala Expects Rising Warriors Star to Land a Max Contract
“It’s funny,” Iguodala says about Poole’s process. “I’m hearing Tyler is looking at a max contract and I’m laughing at Jordan, same thing. Just continuing to develop your game. He’s a workhorse. He’s in the gym every single day, he’s early, he’s leaving late. He loves the gym. There’s just that hump he’s got to get over in terms of understanding what impact on the game means when it’s really important. They are very similar in those ways … because Tyler got to experience that in the bubble, playing deep into the playoffs, having those great playoff games and has been able to elevate his game. I’m seeing the same trajectory with Jordan.”
The rookie max contract that is available to be signed this summer is expected to go up to $184 million for five years per Spotrac.com. After Poole’s emergence this year as a primary ball handler, it would be difficult to see Poole commanding anything less.
Andre compares Poole to Tyler Herro and says he sees a max contract in JP’s future 😮
Tyler Herro and Jordan Poole Have Taken Their Game to the Next Level
It has gotten to the point, the Heat run offensive sets for Herro as a No. 1 or 2 option when they are looking for quick buckets. When Herro has been absent from the lineup this season, the Heat would often go through long scoring droughts.
The same can be said for Poole. When Curry is not on the court, the team heavily relies on Poole to generate the offense and create opportunities for himself and his teammates. Thompson is not known for his shot creating ability, but more as a catch and shoot sniper that can score in bunches. The Dubs can ill afford to lose Poole now and the future.