Jordan Poole is showing growth by accepting a bench role

Jordan Poole was moved to the Washington Wizards bench for their Feb. 22 game against the Denver Nuggets. Twelve games later, it would appear Poole's move to the second unit has been made permanent by interim head coach Brian Keefe.

When the Wizards acquired him during the summer, Poole was widely expected to thrive as a starting guard. However, he has struggled to slot into a broader role. Instead, he's found his best production since coming off the bench. In his 12 games, Poole is averaging 20.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists while shooting 36.7% from 3-point range and 43.4% from the field.

During a recent interview with Andscape's Martenzie Johnson, Poole admitted that his playstyle has been better served coming off the bench. 

“I wasn’t able to do what I was accustomed to doing in terms of how I built my game,” Poole said.

It's not that Poole isn't capable of being a starting guard. It's that his style of play is predicated on having a significant usage rate. It's harder to be ball-dominant when surrounded by starting-level talent in the NBA. Everybody needs touches to be at their best. Coming off the bench allows Poole to be more aggressive and call his own number.

Poole is in the first season of a four-year $128 million deal. By moving him to the bench, the Wizards have ensured he can provide a valuable return on investment. However, whoever assumes the head coaching role with the franchise will need to ensure Poole remains invested in coming off the bench. 

After all, there's nothing wrong with being a perennial Sixth Man of the Year contender for his career. Especially when moving into the starting lineup appears to yield such concerning results.

The Warriors traded Poole to give him a bigger role. Everyone expected him to grasp the opportunity with both hands. However, sometimes things don't go as planned. At least now, he and the Wizards can begin figuring out how to make the best out of their situation and rebuild his value on the trade market as a result.