During the 2021-22 season, guard Jordan Poole blossomed for the Golden State Warriors, and he played a key role in them winning their fourth NBA championship in eight seasons.
He did so by getting hot from 3-point range and averaging 18.5 points in 30.0 minutes a game.
Last season, although Poole boosted his scoring production to 20.4 points a game, his accuracy dropped, and over the summer, the Warriors decided to trade him for future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul.
Some feel Poole was a big reason why the Warriors were inconsistent and ended up losing in the second round of the playoffs last season, but head coach Steve Kerr adamantly said such criticism is unfair, per 95.7 The Game.
Kerr says it’s unfair to blame Jordan Poole for last year’s struggles
Full response ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/ds0b09MNUK
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) November 2, 2023
Poole is now a member of the Washington Wizards, and he is off to a poor start this year, as he’s shooting just 38.5 percent from the field and 24.1 percent from 3-point range in four games.
He was the No. 28 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, and with the departure of Kevin Durant and major injuries to Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, he got a chance to play meaningful minutes and develop almost right away.
He, along with Andrew Wiggins, Kevon Looney, and Gary Payton II, was part of a cadre of young players who revived Golden State’s dynasty after it seemed dead a few years ago.
Now, the task of extending that dynasty a bit longer falls to Paul, who is 38 years of age and apparently in decline.
His numbers to start this season are poor, but he has been moved to the bench, and the hope is that such a move will revitalize him while stabilizing the Warriors’ second unit.
NEXT:
Steve Kerr Reacts To Draymond Green’s Comments About Chemistry
