Not so long ago, the Golden State Warriors made us all think that Jordan Poole was going to be their star for the future, signing him to a big contract extension right after the NBA Finals.
That didn’t last long, as Poole was a constant talking point — for the wrong reasons — this season, looking sluggish and uncoachable in the playoffs and failing to build from that career-best campaign.
According to a report by Mike Battaglino of AHN Fire Digital, that wasn’t much of a surprise for Steve Kerr and company. Apparently, the Warriors traded him for Chris Paul because they didn’t feel he was an actual fit for their roster.
Warriors Considered Jordan Poole An ‘Extraneous And Inefficient’ Player
“What’s clear to me after a few days of checking around is that this all began when the Warriors decided that Jordan Poole was an extraneous and inefficient member of their roster,” wrote Battaglino.
“That was the precipitating issue. The Warriors wanted out of the $123 million deal they gave Poole only eight months earlier because his play last season didn’t meet that value, especially given their extreme luxury-tax pressure,” the report added. “They knew he wanted a bigger role and they knew that almost certainly wouldn’t happen as long as Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson were on the team. The Warriors weren’t going to give Poole away, but they were ready to move on if the right deal came along.”
Of course, one could wonder if the deal they got for him was the right deal, but that’s a whole different debate. Whatever the case, he’ll now be free to take as many shots as he wants and might even lead the league in scoring, and the Warriors can now build the roster with players who fit their scheme better.