Jordan Poole Had ‘Well Known’ Warriors Frustrations

In Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals, the Warriors lost to the Los Angeles Lakers 122-101 — ending their 2022-23 NBA season. Jordan Poole had a difficult postseason, averaging just 10.3 points on 34.1 percent shooting. In a Game 4 loss, he also went scoreless in just 10 minutes.

According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Jordan Poole expressed frustration behind the scenes throughout the season, along with other young players on the team who did not receive consistent playing time.

“Poole has stayed so quiet this year that it was rare to hear him discuss his true feelings candidly,” Shelburne wrote. “But his feelings, as well as the frustrations of the Warriors’ other young players who struggled to earn consistent playing time, were well known throughout the locker room, team sources say.”

During the course of the season, he faced many difficulties, including being punched in the face by his teammate Draymond Green during preseason practice. Shelburne reports that the incident lingered through the season, despite the two sides appearing to move on publicly from it.

“Green’s punch didn’t just knock Poole out. It laid bare the tension between the older championship core and the younger players the organization hoped would supersede them one day,” Shelburne wrote. “And it has never really gone away, sources say, despite Poole’s relative silence on the matter this season.”

Poole’s efficiency declined when comparing his 2021-22 regular season production to his latest campaign. However, he went from averaging 18.5 points per game last season to providing the Warriors with 20.4 points per contest in 2022-23. He experienced a decline in his overall scoring efficiency — from 44.8 percent last season to 43.0 percent this season. He also went from shooting 36.4 percent from 3-point range to 33.6 percent.

Poole’s greatest decline occurred in the postseason — going from a key contributor during an NBA Finals run to becoming a liability just a year apart. Last postseason, he averaged 17.0 points on staggeringly efficient shooting splits — shooting 50.8 percent from the floor, 39.1 percent on 3s, and 91.5 percent on free throws.

Golden State received only 10.3 points per game from Poole this postseason. He was highly inefficient as he shot 34.1 percent from the floor, 25.4 percent from deep, and 76.5 percent from the line. His playing time suffered in the Warriors’ Western Conference semifinal series against the Lakers — playing just 18.8 minutes per game.

Given that Poole is in the first year of a four-year, $140 million contract extension, his regression, coupled with locker room concerns, is about as concerning as it gets. Draymond Green could enter free agency if he declines his $27.6 million player option. Klay Thompson will soon need a new contract, and he’s extension eligible this offseason.

Something has to give for Golden State’s spending, especially after the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement developments. Given Poole’s lack of production and the Warriors’ desire to retain Green long-term, the most likely outcome is for the organization to sell low in a trade that sends Poole to a new team this offseason.

The production that Poole has shown capable of providing when filling a larger role — such as when Stephen Curry is sidelined — should be reason enough for a team needing more offensive firepower to be intrigued by the possibility of making such a trade.

Grant Afseth is an NBA reporter for NBA Analysis Network and a Dallas Mavericks reporter for DallasBasketball.com. He previously covered the Indiana Pacers and NBA for CNHI’s Kokomo Tribune and various NBA teams for USA TODAY Sports Media Group. Follow him on Twitter (@grantafseth), Facebook (@grantgafseth), and YouTube (@grantafseth).