Jordan Poole confident he'll sign extension with Warriors

Warriors guard Jordan Poole is confident he’ll work out an extension with the team, Marc J. Spears of ESPN tweets. Poole added he’s looking forward to progressing in talks when Golden State returns from Toyko in early October.

Poole may have faith that something can be worked out, but it’s still possible the sides won’t agree to a deal. Should that happen, Poole would become a restricted free agent in 2023. The sides have until October 17 to reach an extension.

Poole played a significant role in the Warriors’ championship campaign last year, averaging 18.5 points on 45% shooting during the regular season. The 23-year-old also averaged 17.0 points per game during the playoffs, shooting 51% from the floor and 39% from three-point range.

There are some other notes from the Western Conference tonight:

• Blazers coach Chauncey Billups must improve the team’s defense this season, Aaron J. Fentress writes for The Oregonian. Portland ranked 29th in defensive rating last season, but the team has the personnel to improve that ranking this season. The Blazers could start a group of Damian Lillard, Anfernee Simons, Josh Hart, Jerami Grant and Jusuf Nurkic, plus have Gary Payton II, Nassir Little, Justise Winslow and others off the bench.
• Mike Singer of the Denver Post examines five storylines for the Nuggets entering training camp. Denver has a legitimate championship contender on paper, but the team must stay healthy and prove it can work together down the stretch. Unsurprisingly, the first storyline Singer examines is the health of Jamal Murray, who suffered a torn ACL in 2021.
• Jonathan Feigen (subscriber only) answers Rockets fans’ questions in his latest mailbag for the Houston Chronicle. Among the topics addressed is what the coaching staff’s plan is for incorporating No. 3 pick Jabari Smith and young center Alperen Sengun into the offense. Houston’s top-two scorers last season, Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. combined to average 32.9 points per game, so it’s fair to assume they’ll still be the focal point offensively.