The Golden State Warriors have only just begun turning the page from a failed and tumultuous title defense in 2022-23. As a potentially franchise-altering summer looms, though, widespread trade speculation surrounding Jordan Poole seems a bit premature—at least if you believe Steve Kerr.
The Warriors met with the media on Tuesday for the first time since his team's blowout season-ending loss to the Los Angeles Lakers last week. Despite Poole's immense playoff struggles and inability to find a consistent rhythm throughout the season, Kerr still counts the dynamic young guard among his team's “foundational six” of core contributors, according to Connor Letourneau of the Chronicle.
“Absolutely,” Kerr responded when asked if he still views Poole as a Golden State building block. “I called him one of the Foundational Six at the end of last season, and I still believe that.”
The other members of that sextet? Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney.
Curry, obviously, isn't going anywhere for as long as he wants to suit up in blue and gold. Wiggins and Looney are entrenched with the Dubs as ultra-reliable contributors at positions of need. Green could be a free agent this summer and Thompson is up for an extension, but every indication is both players will be back with the Warriors next season to chase a fifth title.
Poole signed his big-money extension last October alongside Wiggins', both contracts kicking in for 2023-24. It's not just Poole's awful postseason performance that's called his future in the Bay into question. As Joe Lacob faces a historic luxury tax bill he's already deemed untenable, moving Poole's $28.7 million salary for next season seems like the most prudent way to significantly cut into it.
But the Dubs' utter lack of ball-handling and self-creation dynamism beyond Curry makes Poole a vital cog for the Warriors, and Kerr knows the preseason punch he took from Draymond Green left the 23-year-old in an unavoidable fog throughout the course of this season.
“As his coach, it’s my job to help him get better and help him really find his groove and his comfort zone next year,” Kerr said of Poole, per Madeline Kenney of Bay Area News Group.
Needless to say, that doesn't sound like a coach expecting a recently signed young player to continue his career elsewhere going forward.
At least a couple major offseason changes seem inevitable for the Dubs, though. Until those moves are made and Jordan Poole is still on the roster, expect speculation about his uncertain future with Golden State to keep running rampant.
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