Over the past eight seasons, the Golden State Warriors set themselves apart as an organization that seemingly could do no wrong. Team governor Joe Lacob's use of the phrase “light years ahead” may have drawn some eye rolls , but one could understand where he was coming from. The Warriors, led by Stephen Curry, were good, and the team was as well-run as any. But has the Warriors front office's magic touch run out?
With the rising costs brought forth by their championship roster, ushering in a new era of contention as their foundational stars age was always going to be difficult. Nonetheless, they tried their best to balance two timelines: one of title contention, one of developing their future foundational pieces in a post-Stephen Curry world. And yet, here they are at the end of the 2022-23 season, having accomplished neither.
Players of Curry's caliber rarely come by. However, making it an urgent matter for the Warriors to try and keep putting as many quality pieces around him as possible. Even though he's 35 now, Curry is still good enough to function as the best player on a championship team. The only problem is, can the Warriors surround him with enough talent, given their clogged cap sheet?
As a result, the Warriors may have to take a deep breath, as they will soon have to make some difficult decisions, all for the betterment of the franchise. And these difficult decisions may include having to trade away someone who was instrumental in their 2022 title run.
This is the one player the Warriors must trade this offseason.
1 player Warriors must trade in the 2023 NBA offseason: Jordan Poole
Talk about low-hanging fruit. It has been a wild ride thus far for Jordan Poole in a Warriors uniform. And yet, his prior three years in the league could not have prepared him for what was coming to begin the 2022-23 season.
Draymond Green and Poole got into a heated argument before the season even began, with Green reaching the boiling point and punching his Warriors teammate. The exact details as to why Green did what he did haven't come to light, but rumor has it that Green lashed out due to his contract situation. Meanwhile, Green said that he was going through something “heavy,” which didn't allow him to process the situation rationally.
Whatever the case, it's quite clear that the Warriors, as a team, weren't able to recover from this altercation. Poole, in particular, was extremely inconsistent throughout the season. And he reached his nadir in the Dubs' playoff series defeat against the Los Angeles Lakers. Poole couldn't stay on the floor because he couldn't score. And if he's not scoring, he's not as well-rounded enough to warrant minutes despite being a zero on offense.
Progress isn't linear, so a leap into All-Star status after an impressive 2021-22 season wasn't exactly guaranteed. But what makes Poole's disappearing act in the playoffs worse is that his max extension is kicking in next season. Given how limited the Warriors' assets are, Poole's contract will make it difficult for them to bolster their depth. While the Dubs' clogged cap sheet will make keeping Draymond Green in free agency extremely expensive.
Moreover, Jordan Poole finally spoke up about his tussle with Green at the beginning of the season. And it doesn't look good for the Warriors at all. Poole basically described his relationship with Green as a merely professional one. It's not exactly a bad thing to not be the closest with a co-worker. But given Poole and Green's friendship in the past, their icy relationship is a concern and needs time to heal. But the Warriors may not have the luxury of time on their hands.
Trading away Poole may be their best bet in acquiring anything of value. Perhaps they can talk a marginal contender into giving up assets for a 23-year-old who, for all the flak he's taken, still averaged 20.4 points last season. In a featured role, perhaps Poole can blossom into a 25+ point scorer. However, with Stephen Curry still the face of the franchise, Poole won't have that opportunity in San Francisco anytime soon.
The Warriors can still gamble on running it back and hoping Poole and Green reconcile completely. But there may already be too much baggage there for that to materialize.
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