Getty Jordan Poole of the Golden State Warriors.
Ever since the Golden State Warriors signed Jordan Poole to a 4-year-$128 million contract extension last fall, the 23-year-old has failed to impact the game in the same fashion that he did during the playoffs last season.
The drop-off has been bad enough to catch the attention of many, including Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes, who urged the Warriors look to trade the former Michigan standout this summer.
In a March 28 article, Hughes made his pitch that the Dubs move on from Poole, after the season.
“Poole has regressed in several key ways and has been a huge reason the Warriors look nothing like defending champs,” he wrote. “For a team that isn’t ready to give up on contention and has few other ways to meaningfully alter the roster, trading the 23-year-old combo guard this offseason should be on the table.”
Hughes is right. Poole gave the Warriors an efficient 17 points per game throughout their 2022 championship run, while shooting 50.8% from the field and 39.1% from deep. This year, his points per game is up to 20.4, but his efficiency has fallen off a cliff. The 23-year-old has made just 42.8% of his attempts from the floor and 33.3% of those from beyond the arc.
“Poole hasn’t been helpful in the way Golden State expected; he’s failing as a shot-creator, particularly without Stephen Curry on the court next to him,” Hughes explained. “The Dubs score 111.9 points per 100 possessions with Poole in the game and Curry out, a figure that ranks in the 27th percentile. Overall, the Warriors’ net rating is 5.3 points per 100 possessions worse with Poole in the game, and they lose an alarming 7.0 points per 100 possessions from their offensive rating.”
Warriors, Jordan Poole May Need Fresh Start After Punch
The young guard’s inconsistent play has mirrored that of the team as a whole. Golden State has a record of 39-37, which has them slotted at seventh in the Western Conference. Hughes concluded by alluding that Poole’s incident with Draymond Green may have something to do with that. He suggested that a fresh start may benefit both sides.
“It’s entirely possible Poole’s subpar play and the generally disconnected vibes on the team have something to do with Green decking him during the preseason. Framed that way, a split wouldn’t just help the Warriors. It might give Poole, a player who featured prominently in a title run in his age-22 season, the change of scenery he needs to get his game back in order.”
Trade Rids Warriors of Jordan Poole, Adds Kristaps Porzingis
If the Dubs were to decide to trade the offensive-minded guard, then they could likely net a solid return.
Sports Illustrated’s Ben Stinar recently proposed that they ditch Poole in exchange for Washington Wizards big man Kristaps Porzingis.
“For starters, Porzingis is only 27 years old and is one of the tallest players in the NBA at 7’3″…,” Stinar wrote. “He is currently averaging a very impressive 22.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.6 blocks per contest in 60 games… The 2018 NBA All-Star is also shooting 48.8% from the field and 37.5% from the three-point range, which makes him one of the best shooters (for a big man) in the entire league… Not only does he fill their lack of size, but his skillset perfectly complements an organization that is known for its elite shooting… Keeping Steph Curry and Klay Thompson off the three-point line is tough for opposing teams, but adding in Porzingis would make them unstoppable.”