When you look back on the 2021-22 season and the Golden State Warriors making the climb back to the top of the NBA with their fourth championship since 2015, it's clear to see the impact Jordan Poole had. A dynamic and agile guard who took on the task of playing behind Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, two of the greatest guards of this generation, Poole turned out to be everything the Warriors had hoped for as a young, emerging star.
Then came the 2022-23 season, a year that was filled with torment and drama for the Warriors. All of the mental strain this season seemed to cause for Golden State stemmed from the preseason altercation that took place between Poole and Draymond Green in practice. When Green punched Poole in the face, the Warriors began to fracture to the point where change was inevitable.
The Warriors' exit from the Western Conference semifinals resulted in the end of what this franchise hoped would be many more championship runs with Poole as the focal point of a young core they were building behind Steph, Klay, and Draymond. Now, Poole is one of the stars of the Washington Wizards after being traded in the offseason.
While this was a tough decision for the Warriors to make, it is one that head coach Steve Kerr continues to have a hard time wrapping his head around. Kerr, who was a huge believer in what Poole could do to help this team, was not a fan of the way Golden State ended the young guard's tenure.
“I look back at that, and I hate that it happened. I know that in my heart, that when (the punch) happened, we handled it the best way we thought we could handle it. But in hindsight — and hindsight is always 20/20 — we could have done better for sure. I just hate the way it ended for Jordan here, because he is a huge success story,” Kerr told The Athletic's Anthony Slater. “For us and for him, this was a great marriage. He helped us win a title. We helped him, you know, become a champion and a guy who signed a big contract, life-changing contract. It was all wildly successful. But I hate the way it ended.”
Poole's return to The Bay
If it wasn't for Jordan Poole, the Warriors may not have won their most recent championship in 2022. Quite honestly, they may have the same core group together today if it wasn't for Poole.
What Poole accomplished and his impact on the court was immeasurable for the Warriors, especially since he was the spark they had been searching for through the years behind the likes of Curry, Thompson, and Green.
Following the team's championship in 2022, the Warriors rewarded Poole with a four-year, $128 million contract extension, a deal that is now owned by the Wizards. On Friday night, the 24-year-old guard will be in Chase Center, but he will not be wearing a Warriors uniform. A night that will be filled with mixed emotions from the Warriors' faithful, Thompson is hoping that Golden State fans appreciate Poole the right way.
“We would not have won a championship in ’22 without him. Simple as that,” Thompson stated, via The Athletic. “So I hope Dub Nation shows him the right ovation on Friday night.”
In his four seasons with the Warriors, Poole went from a young player who struggled to shoot from the perimeter and ended up in the G League to an impactful and talented sixth man who could lead his team in scoring on any given night.
While they went through some hard times together, Poole's legacy with the Warriors will forever be remembered.
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