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It's safe to say that Steve Kerr wanted Jordan Poole to be a long-term fixture for the Golden State Warriors before he was punched by Draymond Green. The fourth-year guard's ever-impressive response to the ongoing controversy, though, no doubt makes Poole even more valuable to the Warriors' present and future as his representatives continue negotiating a possible contract extension with team management.
After watching Poole drop an exhilarating 25 points and six assists in his team's 124-121 preseason loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, Kerr discussed why he “hopes” Poole reaches an agreement with the front office before the October 17th deadline for rookie-scale extensions comes and goes.
“One of the things our staff always feels like is it's our job to help these guys become the best players that they can become. We want them to do well financially and take care of their families. It's all part of this job, putting these guys in a great position to succeed on and off the court,” Kerr said. “So I think we're all excited for Jordan, the position he's in. We'll see whether something gets done or not, but I'm thrilled for him. You always root for the guys who put the work in, and he's put as much work into this over the last few years as anybody. So it's exciting for him and it's exciting for us, and we hope something gets done.”
Here's Steve Kerr on Jordan Poole's possible extension.
"We'll see whether something gets done or not, but I'm thrilled for him. You always root for the guys who put the work in, and he's put as much work in over the last few years as anybody…We hope something gets done." pic.twitter.com/riGs04OkHT
— Jack Winter (@ArmstrongWinter) October 10, 2022
Poole will be a restricted free agent next summer if he doesn't put pen to paper on an extension prior to the mid-October deadline.
Initial reporting indicated Poole's “change in behavior” amid contract negotiations led to his skirmish with Green, but Bob Myers, Kerr, Stephen Curry and Andre Iguodala all pushed back hard on that tidbit, insisting the 23-year-old has been nothing but professional since Golden State tipped off training camp. Myers reiterated on Thursday that the altercation would have no impact on contract talks with Poole nor Green, who's eligible for an extension throughout 2022-23.
Tyler Herro's four-year, $120 million extension with the Miami Heat no doubt serves as the starting point for discussions between Poole's representatives and the Warriors. He's a more dynamic, accomplished player than Herro already, with a higher ceiling. If Golden State, facing the repeater luxury tax bill this season, pinches pennies in negotiations on Poole's extension, don't be surprised if he ultimately takes the route of restricted free agency, hoping to prove himself worthy of a max contract during the Warriors' quest for back-to-back championships.
Given Poole's stoicism in wake of Green's punch and the way he played on Sunday, there's a very real possibility he gets that bag next July—with the Warriors or another team.
