Jordan Poole definitely made a name for himself during the 2021-22 campaign, even if Golden State Warriors wing has been in a funk lately.
Over his last two games, the 22-year-old has averaged just 8.5 points per game on 27.8% shooting overall and 16.7% from three-point range. Meanwhile, he’s averaging a team-worst four turnovers a game over the same span. That’s obviously a far cry from what Dubs fans saw when Poole was thriving in relief of an injured Steph Curry as the club’s lead guard.
Still, there’s no doubting the fact that Poole has cemented himself as a cornerstone piece for the Warriors. And, recent struggles aside, he has arguably been Golden State’s best postseason performer not named Steph.
As such, one outlet saw fit to stamp him with a particularly weighty label with regard to the Warriors’ plan of attack this summer.
B/R: Poole Is Dubs’ Biggest Offseason Priority
For his latest foray into NBA offseason prognostication, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley sought to identify the Warriors’ top priorities once their playoff run comes to an end. And while the baller is technically under contract for one more year at just over $3.9 million, Poole was No. 1 on the list with a bullet.
“Poole is extension-eligible this offseason, and a nine-figure contract feels imminent,” Buckley wrote in the story published May 12. “While the Warriors could wait to pay him until next summer when he enters restricted free agency, they risk both hurting this relationship and letting the market ink him to a contract offer sheet with team-unfriendly terms. The smart move is probably paying him now and positioning him at (or at least near) the center of their next chapter.”
Of course, paying Poole isn’t a matter of just drafting a new contract and sending it to him for signing. In order to give him the mega millions that he wants, the Warriors will have to figure out what to do with 2022 All-Star Andrew Wiggins, who has one year left on his current deal at $33.6 million.
Wiggins averaged 17.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists during the regular season with shooting splits of 47-39-63. Meanwhile, Poole logged a 19-4-3 line while shooting 44.8% from the floor, 36.4% from distance and an NBA-best 92.5% from the line.
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Dubs Make Bad History In Game 5
The Warriors’ 39-point loss to the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinal series on May 11 was on the list of the worst playoff losses in the franchise’s history. However, the final score actually represented an uptick over how things were going earlier in the contest. In fact, Golden State notched a spot in the record books with its ineptitude.
As relayed by ESPN Stats & Info via Twitter, Memphis’ game-high advantage of 55 points was the second-largest lead amassed during any point of a playoff game in the last 25 years. The only larger lead came from the 2009 Nuggets, who led a playoff game by a jaw-dropping 58 points.
The Warriors, who have a 3-2 advantage in the best-of-seven series, will play host to the Grizzlies at 7 p.m. Pacific time on May 13.
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Breakout Wing Singled Out as Warriors’ Top Offseason Priority