Jordan Poole has struggled mightily this NBA postseason, main some across the league to query how worthwhile the fourth-year guard actually is.
In line with Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, a number of rival executives had been important of Poole’s play and the Warriors’ resolution to award him with a four-year contract extension, price as much as $140 million earlier than the season.
“He’s empty energy,” one Jap Convention government stated, per Pincus.
“He doesn’t defend, doesn’t actually create for others and that Draymond [Green sucker punch] incident wasn’t an excellent search for both of them,” the chief continued. “The intel on Poole [and his presence in the locker room] isn’t nice.
“I don’t know why the Warriors rushed to overpay him. They may have given him the identical cash this summer time. No less than then, they’d know what his contract would imply to their state of affairs. He’s incomes greater than [Andrew] Wiggins, and Wiggins is far more worthwhile than Poole.”
The 23-year-old, 2019 first-round choose averaged 20.4 factors on 43 p.c taking pictures this 12 months, however he’s taken a transparent step again in the course of the Warriors’ playoff run.
Poole is averaging simply 10.5 factors per recreation on 34.2 p.c taking pictures this postseason, together with simply 11 complete factors over Golden State’s final three video games in opposition to the Los Angeles Lakers of their second-round collection.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has lower Poole’s minutes to only 21.6 a recreation, down from half-hour a recreation in the course of the common season.
“It’s arduous to surrender a younger man who’s gifted,” one Western Convention government advised Bleacher Report. “In the event that they need to lower wage, then perhaps they will get veterans on expiring contracts to assist them win subsequent 12 months, then determine it out after that.”
Poole reportedly had a tense encounter with reporters in Golden State’s locker room following their Recreation 4 loss to the Lakers on Monday.
Down 3-1 within the collection in opposition to the Lakers, Golden State faces elimination with Recreation 5 set for Wednesday evening at Chase Middle.
