The Golden State Warriors are four wins away from being able to definitively brand their current roster as championship-caliber. Nobody can doubt what the original core of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson had already achieved. But with age, injuries, and a new supporting cast, their team has had to prove itself all over again.
Arguably the most important member of that supporting cast going forward is Jordan Poole. He has been a revelation for the Warriors, providing volume scoring at an efficiency that rivals that of Stephen Curry at times — and that's not something you can say lightly.
Golden State has a chance to lock him up to a long-term extension this offseason. For most other teams, the decision to do so, even at the rookie max rate, would be a no-brainer. But with the Warriors already paying a massive luxury tax bill, questions have arisen on whether they'd be willing to swim that deep in financially punitive waters. But according to a report from Yahoo Sports' Vincent Goodwill, all signs point to the Golden State being willing to take the plunge.
Via Yahoo Sports:
Warriors president of basketball operations and general manager Bob Myers cut off the question before it could be finished, flatly saying “no” when asked by Yahoo Sports if financial concerns would keep the franchise from keeping one of its youngest, most productive players.
“No, no,” Myers told Yahoo Sports. “I mean, thankfully [I] work for an ownership group in Joe [Lacob] that has committed all kinds of resources to winning. And I know that because every time I asked him about roster and strategy, it’s always winning.”
With a potential rookie scale max contract, Poole could secure guaranteed money at around $190 million through five years. The good news for the Warriors is that he's still just in his third season, with one more rookie contract season should they be unable to come to terms this offseason. But it sure sounds like that won't be the case.
The Warriors are one of the most popular teams in the NBA with the most marketable star not named LeBron James on their roster. It's not hard to see how they'll be able to recoup their investment in other ways. If locking up Jordan Poole ups the chances for another golden era in Golden State, then the massive luxury tax bill will be nothing but an afterthought.
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