Kerr: Abrupt way Poole’s Warriors’ run came to an end ‘unfortunate’،
SAN FRANCISCO — When Jordan Poole steps into Chase Center as a member of the Washington Wizards Friday night, the Golden State Warriors will face someone they once believed was the key to their future.
Poole, the 28th pick in the 2019 draft, then became a crucial part of the Warriors' championship run two seasons ago and earned a four-year extension worth $128 million. Poole is a huge success story, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.
Poole's tenure couldn't have gone better, Kerr said, except for the way it ended.
“It’s really unfortunate how it turned out,” Kerr said after Thursday’s practice. “You just wish things would end on a more positive note and in a more positive way.”
Kerr said he doesn't think there's any hard feelings between Poole and the Warriors, who traded him in June as part of a trade that brought Chris Paul to Golden State.
About two weeks before Poole signed his extension with the Warriors in October 2022, Poole was hit by Draymond Green during training camp.
“He handled it better than 99 percent of people,” said forward Andrew Wiggins, who was one of Poole's closest friends on the Warriors. “He handled the situation like a true professional.”
At the time, Kerr called the incident the biggest crisis he had with Golden State. At the end of the season, Kerr said the Warriors never recovered from that moment, as it left a dark cloud over the team all season — in the locker room and on the court.
Green signed his four-year, $100 million extension with Golden State in July, a sign of the team's long-standing commitment to him. A few weeks later, Poole was traded to Washington.
“Being this is his only visit to Chase this year, this is our first chance to really thank Jordan for his contributions, for helping us win a championship,” Kerr said. “…We won't win this championship without him. Everyone here recognizes that. Our fans recognize that, so Jordan is going to get a huge ovation.”
Poole averaged 18.5 points on 44.8% field goal shooting, including 36.4% from 3, during the 2021-22 season during the title run. In the playoffs, he had 17 points per game on 50.8% shooting. He started the first half of this season before Klay Thompson returned from injuries, then replaced Stephen Curry when Curry was sidelined from late March until the start of the playoffs.
“The way the whole team was, we were all really connected,” Wiggins said. “The way we all fight, on and off the field, support each other, it was a great environment to be a part of.”
Poole's scoring is something the Warriors lack.
“There were times during this series where we needed to score, and Jordan gave it to us,” Kerr said. “You can’t minimize his contributions.”
With the Wizards this season, Poole is averaging 17.4 points on 41.6 percent shooting — not far from his regular season campaign two years ago. But his season was overshadowed by Washington's record, errant shots and slides on the floor.
Kerr nevertheless expects a big game from Poole against his former team. As a former player who played for six different clubs, Kerr understands the satisfaction of remaining loyal to your old team.
“You want to remind your old team what they’re missing,” Kerr said. “Jordan is going to come out and probably play really well against us.”
