If he was negatively affected by the leak of the video of teammate Draymond Green punching him in practice, Warriors guard Jordan Poole certainly didn’t show it on Sunday, as he poured in 25 points with six assists in just 23 minutes vs. the Lakers.
According to head coach Steve Kerr, that performance illustrated why the team didn’t consider requiring Poole to take any time off following last Wednesday’s altercation.
“There’s a reason Jordan is who he is right now,” Kerr said, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “Especially considering where he was coming out of Michigan, a late first-round pick, struggling his first few months in the league. There’s a reason he’s in this position, about to sign a big extension, hopefully. He’s just tough. He’s mentally tough and physically tough and ultra confident in his game.”
After suggesting that Poole could be “about to sign a big extension,” Kerr later acknowledged that it remains to be seen whether the Warriors will work out a new deal with the 23-year-old in the next week. Still, it certainly sounds like a long-term extension is in play for Poole. If the two sides don’t reach an agreement by the Oct. 17 deadline, the fourth-year guard will become a restricted free agent in 2023.
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