Jordan Poole was undoubtedly one of the biggest risers from the 2021-22 NBA season. Poole went from a young, unproven prospect to potential Stephen Curry successor thanks to a breakout season that saw him emerge as a dynamic offensive weapon on a Golden State Warriors team that's well-acquainted with that type of firepower.
The best part for Dub Nation, at least in terms of salary cap sheet management, is the fact that he'll still be on his rookie contract for next season. Jordan Poole will be making less than $4 million despite playing like a player worth at least five times that amount. With Poole, the Warriors face an enviable dilemma from just having too much talent.
There's a legitimate argument to just let things play out and reap the benefits of good drafting. Given that Jordan Poole was their first-round pick in 2019, they hold the right to match any offer that comes his way in restricted free agency next offseason. That seems like the most likely sentiment based on reports coming out in the middle of free agency period.
But the Golden State Warriors have proven themselves to be unafraid of bucking the trend and staying ahead of their competition. Securing a deal with Jordan Poole, perhaps at a slight discount from the max given the early negotiations, would be the better play for the franchise.
Here are three (3) reasons why locking up Jordan Poole now is the right move for the Golden State Warriors:
3 reasons Warriors must lock up Jordan Poole early
#3 – The worst case scenario isn't even that bad
Say the Warriors sign Jordan Poole to a hefty contract extension if not for the max, then close to it. For a team that's spending record-breaking totals on team payroll, that's not a small gamble to make with an exponentially increasing luxury tax bill.
But with a young, exciting prospect like Poole, it's basically unfathomable for him to be considered anything but an asset by season's end – regardless of whether he plays up to standard or shows some regression.
He's a 23-year-old guard who's shown elite scoring and playmaking skills under the bright lights of the playoffs. If he was on nearly any other team in the NBA, they're locking him up to the rookie max with no questions asked. Even if he's suddenly much worse next season with subpar shooting numbers and a growing rift between him and the old guard – both scenarios that don't seem to be likely to happen – rebuilding teams will still be lining up to trade for him.
Financially, there's reason to show restraint given that he's had just one amazing season. But the Warriors can potentially secure a small discount with an early deal whilst also showing their young star that they believe in him as a true cornerstone for the future knowing that even if things go south, there is no true doomsday scenario with Poole.
#2 – Signing Jordan Poole now is a show of trust he's worth it
We've seen in real time with Deandre Ayton's topsy turvy offseason how messy things can get when you fail to come to terms on an extension with your young star. Ayton's free agency was often a topic that loomed large on the Suns' season – one that was admittedly on the big man's mind as well. The sign-and-trade rumors, photoshops in other team's jerseys, and sports talk show chatter was endless revolving around his potential departure – a symphony that hit its crescendo after the Suns' early exit from the playoffs.
Playing with your future secured takes a massive weight on anyone's shoulders, even ones as broad Ayton's. The Warriors can completely avoid that with Jordan Poole altogether. The Warriors can harbor goodwill with their young stud while also enabling him to focus on proving himself worthy of the money they'll be paying him. Given the top-shelf development setting that's been built in Golden State, it's a pretty safe bet that they'll be putting him in the best position to succeed. If they really think he and trust that he has the potential to be Stephen Curry's spiritual successor in a few years, it's better they let him know it rather than letting any outside noise complicate things.
#1 – Jordan Poole has proven himself enough
One big difference between Golden State's situation with Poole with that of Phoenix's with Ayton is sitting somewhere in the team's trophy cabinet. The Warriors won the whole enchilada last season. If the Suns won over Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks two seasons ago, there's little doubt they'd be signing Ayton to the max.
The argument against locking up Poole is that the sample size just isn't enough to warrant such a massive deal. But more often than not, the first extension is more about potential and future promise rather than production already manifested. Save for generational talents like Ja Morant and Luka Doncic, there's going to be risked involved. Zion Williamson has barely played at all and he got the highest possible salary offered to him immediately. We've seen guys like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Darius Garland get max deals without truly making noise in the playoffs like Poole has.
Garland, like Poole, had his true breakout last season as well with his Cleveland Cavaliers team ultimately missing the playoffs. In the Warriors' postseason run, Poole posted 17.0 points and 3.8 assists in less than 30 minutes of action while virtually being a 50/40/90 performer. He's shown an elite level of efficiency that lends well to the idea that if he had the keys to a different team's offense, he'd be able to put up much more gaudy numbers without hurting his percentages too much.
The only issue is that he's on a Warriors team that has one of the few guards that unequivocally has to be ahead of Poole on the totem pole. They saw glimpses of Jordan running the team when Stephen Curry was injured, but they'll never get a complete picture until the day their superstar is ready to move on.
That's Warriors have a young, tantalizing prospect that most other teams would have maxed out on day one of free agency. Don't fault him just because the team is too good to let him run the show.
Follow Us
Subscribe