Jordan Poole speaks for first time on Warriors trading him to Wizards
LAS VEGAS – Former Golden State Warriors guard Jordan Poole spoke to the media Saturday afternoon in Las Vegas for the first time since being traded to the Washington Wizards.
When asked again about the impact Draymond Green’s preseason punch had on him and the Warriors last season, Poole did not take the bait. Instead, he spoke optimistically about the new opportunity he has in Washington, now playing alongside Kyle Kuzma.
“(I’m) in Washington now,” Poole told reporters. “Playing with (Kyle Kuzma), great duo. Being able to really flourish, expand our game. New team, an entirely new group of guys. It’s a challenge that we’re up for. There’s a new front office and there’s a lot of people who are invested. Everybody’s locked in, wants to be here. It’s the start of something we think can be special.”
After playing the last four seasons in the shadow of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, Poole now enters a situation with the Wizards where he will not only be a regular starter, but will likely have the ball in his hands more than he has at any point in his young career.
Poole acknowledged how much his role fluctuated during his time with Golden State. Sometimes he was Steve Kerr’s sixth-man, other times he was asked to do more in a starting role, playing in place of an injured Curry or Thompson. He said he takes great pride in his ability to adapt, and those trials with the Warriors have prepared him for his next chapter.
“You just find ways to be effective and make it work,” Poole told reporters. “Whatever I’m needed or called to do, I feel like I’ve shown what I can do in any situation, no matter what opportunity presents itself.”
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Poole, 24, is entering the first of a four-year, $123 million contract extension that will now be on Washington’s books. He averaged 20.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists while playing every regular-season game in 2022-23. During the Warriors' championship run in 2021-22, Poole averaged 17 points while shooting 50.8% from the field.
On draft night, the Warriors agreed to send Poole, Patrick Baldwin Jr., Ryan Rollins, a 2027 second-round draft pick and a 2030 first-round draft pick (top-20 protected) to Washington in exchange for 12-time All-Star Chris Paul. The deal was finalized on Thursday.
“I can text Steph. I can text Klay. I can text all of them and just have a conversation,” Poole told reporters. “That doesn’t leave. That doesn’t go anywhere. If anything, I just know the plays that they run – split-actions and high-ball screens. Competitive advantage.”
Reach C.J. Holmes: cj.holmes@sfchronicle.com
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
