In what was no surprise to most outside observers, the Golden State Warriors ended up giving Jordan Poole all the money he wanted following the Draymond Green altercation scandal.
That's an extension for $123 million guaranteed with incentives laid out for it to balloon to up to $140 million should he reach another level of play. According to Poole, getting to that next level is exactly where his head is at after the deal was consummated. In fact, the big money deal allows it so that it's the only thing on his mind going forward.
Via NBC Sports' Warriors reporter Kerith Burke:
Article Continues BelowJordan Poole said signing the extension makes him feel even more locked in. “There’s another level you can take it, knowing that your family is taken care of, friends taken care of, anything that you needed to do is essentially done other than play basketball.”
There are some players that mentally check out once they land that life-changing money, hence the contract year cautionary tales that leave teams hesitant to pay players angling for their next big pay check. But Jordan Poole has said all the right things and has shown the work ethic and determination to be great.
The Warriors may not be able to know if their investment was worth it until at least a couple of years into his contract, but Jordan Poole has made it clear that he believes the trust Golden State has given him can only help him reach his goal of being a superstar on the court and the bridge to the Warriors' next era.