The Warriors are going to try to extend Jordan Poole’s contract this summer.
But unless Golden State comes with Andrew Wiggins money, Poole should decline the deal and bet on himself.
The Warriors have been a mess for a month-and-a-half. They limped into the All-Star Game and have played just as bad since. On Jan. 10, the Warriors were the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference standings at 30-9. With their loss to the Suns Wednesday night — which was treated as a moral victory — the Warriors dropped to the No. 4 seed.
No, there hasn’t been much to cheer for the Dubs as of late, save for Poole, who has been spectacular over his and the Warriors’ last 18 games.
With Steph Curry currently sidelined, Poole has emerged as the Warriors’ top offensive option. The debate over the Michigan Wolverine used to be if he was to be a sixth man or a starter. Now, it’s if he will be an All-Star.
Since the 2022 All-Star Game, Poole is averaging 24 points per game — tied with Curry — on 48 percent shooting from the field and 43 percent shooting from beyond the arc. Add in five assists and four rebounds per game and you have arguably the best non-All-Star in the NBA since the late February break.
The Warriors haven’t won much since the All-Star Game, but don’t blame Poole. He’s proving to be an integral part of the Warriors’ present and future as the team tries to take “parallel paths” of winning now with veterans and developing young talent for the future.
Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and, oh yeah, maybe even James Wiseman?
That’s an impressive young core, with Poole being the oldest of the group (by roughly two years) at age 22.
And while Draymond Green bounced back from his poor post-injury play against the Suns Wednesday, we’ve simply seen too many veteran moments from the Warriors’ old, banner-raising guard this season.
Klay Thompson is a different player after two-and-a-half years on the sideline, Green’s return to the court was harrowing and a possible foreshadowing of his decline years, Curry wasn’t able to sustain MVP-caliber play into the new year and is injured, yet again, and Andre Iguodala disappeared for months and has said he’ll retire at the end of the season.
The “parallel paths” make a lot of sense right now and the Warriors need to do whatever they can to maintain Poole as the bridge between the old and new guard.
But that won’t be cheap.
It should be noted that not long ago that bridge was believed to be Wiggins. At 27 years old, he is both an eight-year veteran and a young player.
Wiggins’ All-Star turn at the start of the season was validation for the Warriors and the wing, who was gladly jettisoned by the Timberwolves in the 2019-20 season.
But since that moment of validation — we can pinpoint it as the day Wiggins was named an All-Star in January — his performance has precipitously declined.
There is a good game here and there, no doubt, but Wiggins is averaging 15 points per game on an effective field goal percentage of 45. This, while his defense has declined, too.
Not exactly All-Star numbers.
But Wiggins is, of course, being paid like an All-Star, thanks to the Timberwolves. He’s due $33.6 million next season, the last of his contract.
Highly-paid players rarely enter the final year of a contract without consent. The decision on Wiggins and his future with the Dubs is, effectively, due this summer.
With the team deep in the luxury tax, to the point where a half-billion-dollar payroll isn’t out of the question, how could they keep him around?
Poole has created a clear him-or-me scenario for the Dubs. The flashy guard has played his way into the big bucks and the Warriors will not pay both him and Wiggins next season.
Poole is a restricted free agent at the end of the 2023 season, meaning that any team can make him a contract offer, but the Warriors have the right of refusal.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported in February that the Warriors could try to jump ahead by offering Poole a contract their expert estimated to be in the four-year, $80 million range.
But the only thing outpacing national inflation is the cost of Jordan Poole.
With his recent play, Poole should be commanding Wiggins money from the Warriors in any contract extension talks.
Wiggins’ current contract is worth just shy of $30 million a year.
How the Warriors afford a new, near-max Poole contract and the luxury tax bill that will come with it is a conundrum for President of Basketball Operations Bob Myers to solve, but it likely begins with offloading Wiggins.
And if the Warriors don’t offer that kind of money to Poole?
Well, then the kid should bet on himself. Decline any offer that isn’t nine figures and wager that the semi-open market will bring about the jackpot.
Poole has defied expectations in the best possible way at every turn in his career.
I wouldn’t underestimate — or offer to underpay — him this summer.
