Getty Golden State Warriors star Jordan Poole reacts during Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics.
Perhaps the biggest question facing the Golden State Warriors in the wake of their championship win was which of their key contributors would be getting long-term contract extensions. After all, the incredible lengths the team has gone to in order to keep its core intact in recent years has resulted in an unprecedented and otherworldly luxury tax situation; one that has finally become unsustainable.
What the future holds for Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and even Klay Thompson continues to be up in the air. As of Saturday, though, we now know the kinds of checks that fourth-year star Jordan Poole will be cashing.
As reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Poole and the Warriors have reached agreement on a contract extension worth a whopping $140 million over four years.
In the wake of Woj’s report, another recently-extended star — Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro — had some thoughts on the deal that Poole was able to secure.
Herro Sounds Off on Poole’s Big(ger) Extension
Herro’s opinion is noteworthy as he and Poole are both members of the same draft class (2019). They’re also both 6-4/6-5, 190ish-pound guards with electrifying scoring chops. However, the Heat star is arguably the more accomplished of the two as an individual, boasting higher career scoring numbers and shooting percentages.
He’s also the reigning Sixth Man of the Year in the Association.
Nevertheless, Poole’s extension actually came in at a higher number than that of Herro, who netted a four-year $130 million deal in South Beach earlier this month. For his part, though, Herro doesn’t look to be sweating Poole’s payday when compared to his own.
“It’s amazing. You know, he’s from Milwaukee, as well. I’m super happy for him,” Herro said, via the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman. “Guys get paid in the league and I’m happy two guys from Wisconsin or from Milwaukee can get a pretty good-sized bag.”
Regardless of who’s in the higher tax bracket, Poole and Herro both look to be cemented as bridges to their team’s respective futures.
But What Does Draymond Think?
While Herro’s take definitely holds some weight in the discussion about Poole’s big payday, the opinion everyone is waiting to hear is that of Green. When the veteran baller struck Poole with a vicious right hand to the face during practice a couple of weeks back, there was speculation that the forthcoming extension had been a motivating factor.
In the wake of the incident, however, Green denied that Poole’s finances — on their own or in relation to his own — had been behind the strike.
“It’s [not] over a contract or him getting an extension or me getting an extension,” Green said, via The Sporting News. “I can assure that’s — I don’t count other people’s pockets number one… That is simply hating on another man’s situation, and that’s something you just don’t do… That had nothing to do with absolutely anything.”
Given the aforementioned tax crunch, though, there’s no doubt that Poole’s extension could have a major impact on what the Dubs do with Green. And the punch definitely didn’t do him any favors.