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Since last season, Draymond Green has had a firsthand look at Jordan Poole’s development. So when Poole was sent last month to play for the Warriors’ G League affiliate in the bubble near Orlando, Green made sure to stay in touch with Santa Cruz Warriors coach Kris Weems.
Green checked in periodically to make sure Poole was working on his decision-making and defensive positioning. At first, Weems told Green he had to convince Poole to buy into Golden State head coach Steve Kerr’s vision. A few days later, Weems said Poole was coming around. Eventually, Weems became effusive. “He’s doing all the right things,” Weems told Green.
“It’s shown since he’s been back up and then inserted into the rotation,” Green said Wednesday after Poole scored 23 points on 8-for-16 shooting (including 6-for-11 from 3-point range) in the Warriors’ win over the Rockets. “I don’t know many people that work harder than Jordan.
“Now he’ll start to reap the rewards from that.”
Through consistent work and a simpler approach, Poole, 21, is providing a needed scoring boost off the bench. As the Warriors push for the playoffs and prioritize player development, Poole has carved out a role for himself in the rotation and potentially Golden State’s future.
Poole put up big numbers in the G League, but the most notable aspect of his game was the fact that he was making quicker decisions.
As a rookie, Poole had a habit of over-dribbling. He’d shimmy, shake and spin into long 2-pointers and grind Golden State’s motion offense to a halt. For most of last season, Poole rated as the least-efficient shooter in the NBA.
The Warriors sent him last December to the G League, where he thrived and found a rhythm. Poole returned to Golden State with renewed confidence and, impressed with his decision-making and playmaking, Kerr made him part of the rotation. In his final five games, before the NBA season was interrupted by the pandemic, Poole averaged 16.8 points on 49.2% shooting, 5.2 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 31.4 minutes.
This was the start of Poole’s evolution. Coaches praised Poole for his work ethic over the offseason, as he took advantage of whatever time he was allowed to work out at the Warriors’ practice facility at Chase Center. To underscore his simpler approach, Poole buzzed his hair, cut out social media and pored over film from his rookie year.
Still, as the Warriors at the beginning of the season toggled between lineups, Poole didn’t see consistent playing time until he was sent in February back to the G League. He started all 11 games he played and averaged 33.5 minutes, 22.4 points on 45.1% shooting (32.5% from 3-point range), 5.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists. The Warriors called him up in early March, and he scored a career-high 26 points against the Suns.
Since returning to Golden State, Poole is noticeably more decisive. Against the Rockets Wednesday, Poole needed only nine dribbles to score his 23 points.
He’s cut down his dribbling considerably. As a rookie, Poole took three or more dribbles before 47.2% of his shot attempts and shot the ball without a dribble only 27.8% of the time. In five games since returning from the G League, those percentages are inverted: Poole is taking 49.2% of his shots without a single dribble and is dribbling three or more times on just 23.8% of his attempts. This is key in the Warriors’ read-and-react offense.
“As long as he makes his decision quickly — and doesn’t mess around with the ball — then he has the license to go,” Kerr said of Poole, who is averaging 19 points since being recalled. “He’s shifty. He can do some things that change the look of our team.”
There is little doubt that Poole, the No. 28 pick in the 2019 draft, has the talent to become a key part of the Warriors’ rotation. In addition to his advances on the offensive end, he has also become a better defender by adding muscle and improving his positioning.
Going forward, Poole will develop chemistry with Wiseman (once Wiseman returns from the health and safety protocol) and form a young pick-and-roll attack that can anchor the second unit during the final stretch of the season.
Moreover, Poole’s emergence over the last couple of weeks could curb Golden State’s urgency to add a dynamic playmaker before the March 25 trade deadline. In December, the Warriors picked up Poole’s option for next season, laying a path for him to become a rotation piece. If Poole can reach his potential, he could serve as a meaningful success story from this rebuild.
