Getty Jordan Poole of the Golden State Warriors.
Jordan Poole‘s fit with the Golden State Warriors has been a topic of discussion for fans throughout the entire 2022-23 season. Golden State signed Poole to a four-year, $128 million contract extension last summer. Since then he’s play inconsistent basketball, leading many to speculate of potential trade scenarios for him.
Amongst those speculating, is former Warriors-guard Gilbert Arenas. Arenas urged the team to trade Poole while watching Saturday’s Game 3 against the Los Angeles Lakers.
“Watching Poole right now, I might trade him. … If I can package him and get someone I can rely on, I’m going to try it. He’s not Steph. He’s not a replacement. He’s showing me this s—t, that’s what he’s showing me,” Arenas said during his “Gil’s Arena” live stream during Game 3. “He’s supposed to be the best player on the court, right, and he kind of looks like the worst player. He’s the highest paid on this court, and he looks like the worst player.”
Poole finished the game with just 5 points in 22 minutes off the bench. His shooting was poor, as he made just 2-of-9 attempts from the field.
The playoffs as a whole have haunted the 23-year-old. He’s averaged just 11.6 points, 3.6 assists, and 2.4 rebounds per game. The real killer has been his inconsistency on the offensive end. After struggling throughout the year, Poole has somehow regressed further. He’s shot just 35.5% from the field and 28.8% from beyond the arc in the postseason.
This meltdown of a spring comes a year after Poole played a key role in a championship run. He gave the Warriors a reliable 17 points per game on 50.8% shooting from the field and 39.1% from deep.
Stephen Curry Says Warriors Remain Confident in Jordan Poole
Though Poole has been under fire by many like Arenas, his teammates have continuously defended him throughout this nightmare stretch. Golden State’s star point guard Stephen Curry was sure to reiterate that the team has confidence in the young star, following Sunday’s practice.
“We are all extremely confident in what he provides for us, what he can do out there and keeping it positive, just how you approach the game,” Curry said via the Golden State Warriors official YouTube channel. “And that’s what I love about him. He has great energy and making or missing the shots, it’s going to happen. So, it’s just a matter of sticking with it, because you’ll get rewarded in the big picture and especially because we do have a lot of confidence in what he provides for us and what he’s capable of doing.”
Stephen Curry Defends Jordan Poole’s Shot in Warriors Loss
Curry also stood by Poole after his highly-criticized shot attempt in the final seconds of Game 1. Golden State’s No. 3 fired up a heave from 28 feet with under 10 seconds to play, in an attempt to tie the game.
“He had made six of ‘em tonight,” Curry said via the NBA Interviews YouTube channel. “It was decisive and it was a shot he was open. Considering how they guarded us that possession – trapping me at halfcourt and Draymond [Green] swinging it over – it’s one of those where it’s kinda in a rhythm shot. I’m sure he felt pretty good about it, that’s why he shot it. There’s no doubt or regrets on that. It’s just a make-or miss situation. [I’ve got] a lot of trust in his ability to put the ball in the basket.”
