Getty/Al Bello Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors embraces teammate Jordan Poole after breaking the record for most all-time three pointers in Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Coming into this season, the Golden State Warriors knew they needed another guard to help alleviate the pressure off Stephen Curry. Last season, Curry was a one man show, and the team ended up outside looking into the playoffs after losing the play-in game against Memphis.
Compounded by Klay Thompson still rehabbing a torn Achilles and the team holding the highest payroll in the league, the Warriors looked within their team to find the needed offense.
Enter Jordan Poole, whom the San Francisco Chronicle reported the Warriors may offer an contract extension.
The third-year player for the Warriors has been a revelation for the team. As a starter in 31 minutes, he averages 18.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists on 35% shooting from three in 35 games.
His ascent has been fascinating to watch. Just ask Jordan Clarkson of the Utah Jazz, when Poole crossed him over and had Clarkson on the floor smiling as he looked up to see Poole drain a trey.
oh me
oh my
“This is his third year,” Kerr told Mark Haynes of ClutchPoints in January. “He’s feeling more and more confident each year and part of it is that you get to know your teammates really well. This is the third year of Steph and Jordan. I’m sure Jordan wouldn’t have felt comfortable saying anything a couple of years ago. I think that’s a sign that there is a comfort level with their relationship.”
The opportunity to get minutes directly with Curry to start the season definitely helped Poole excel and take the next step forward in his career. As Kerr said, the level of comfort was evident with how smooth Poole looked in getting his points early on.
This will undoubtedly force the Warriors’ hand as Poole’s restricted free agency gets closer in 2023. Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle reported that the Dubs are prepared to offer the Michigan product an extension this offseason. Spotrac salary cap guru Keith Smith “estimates that deal to be in the four-year, $80 million range,” Letourneau wrote.
In essence, Poole managed to seize the opportunity presented to him when Thompson had to miss so many games. Another sharpshooter was needed to pair with Curry, and Poole has surely delivered.
Poole’s Pending Contract May Squeeze Andrew Wiggins Off the Team
As much as Poole deserves that sort of money, it puts the Warriors in a bind. The Warriors have the highest payroll in the NBA (league history, too) at more than $175 million in 2021-22, about $71.6 million over the league’s salary cap limit (including so-called “dead cap” charges), according to Spotrac.
That’s also nearly $40 million over the luxury-tax threshold, which is $136.6 million.
If the Dubs decide to keep their core players, they could be looking at paying over $400 million in salaries and luxury tax. The tax starts at $1.50 for every $1 over the threshold for the first $5 million, but it scales up from there to $3.75 for every $1 when a team is more than $20 million over the threshold. It goes up in increments of 50 cents for every $5 million bracket thereafter, so that a team that is $25 million over the threshold pays $4.25, and a team that is $30 million over pays $4.75, and so on.
Something’s gotta give right?
As Letourneau pointed out, the Dubs could trade Andrew Wiggins before his deal ends in 2023, or simply let him walk after his contract ends. This isn’t great news for Dub fans, especially after Wiggins made his first All-Star game, but that’s the cost when so many players on a team are playing at such a high level.
Next Phrase of Game in Contributing as a Sixth Man
The constant rest days on back-to-backs for Thompson have made Poole’s inconsistency flash at unfortunate moments.
In a reserve role in 18 games, Poole’s averages dropped to 12.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 30% from three in 24.5 minutes. This just shows Poole still has a lot to develop as a player. It is great to see him excel when he starts, but with the abundance of talent on the Warriors squad, Poole is going to have to learn to come off the bench and provide that instant offensive spark, something Lou Williams or Clarkson has mastered in their careers.
Sure, Poole is only 23 years old and he still has plenty of time to figure out how he can grow his game. But if he wants to remain with this star-studded contending team, he is going to have to figure out how to contribute off the bench sooner rather than later, or risk the Warriors trading him.