After securing a sweet four-year, $140 million contract extension with the Golden State Warriors, Jordan Poole is on a mission to prove he’s a bang for their buck. As it stands, Poole is coming off an incredible season but it has to be taken into account that there’s always a room for improvement.
Poole’s breakout last season was undeniable. In 76 games, he registered a career-best tally of 18.5 points and four assists per outing. In addition to that, he was also a consistent role player for the Warriors’ pulsating championship run, averaging 17 points and 3.8 assists per game in the postseason.
While winning a championship certainly boosts a young player’s confidence, Poole should not get too carried away and still continue honing his game.
Let’s take a look at some of the areas he could work on this season.
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Jordan Poole should learn how to be a floor general
Naturally functioning as a shooting guard, Poole is expected to score buckets more than call plays. However, given his agility and quickness, Poole could be of great help playing the role of a playmaker at times, especially when the Warriors need some depth on the offensive end when Stephen Curry is resting.
Moreover, Poole’s numbers in the assists department have not been impressive, having averaged 4.3 dimes per game to date. And above all, If Golden State sees Poole as a potential understudy of Curry, then it’s a must that he starts working on his playmaking skills.
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The three-point area should be Jordan Poole’s home
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr once said Poole should never emulate Curry as it is a “dangerous game.” Indeed, Curry’s playing style is not for everyone but that doesn’t give “Swaggy Poole” an excuse not to improve his three-point shooting.
Poole’s 36.4% accuracy from beyond the arc last season made him the fourth-best shooter among the Warriors’ three-pointers. It was good, but it could and should be better considering how three-point shooting plays a huge role in Golden State’s offense.
- Jordan Poole stats (2022-23): 14.3 PPG, 6.0 APG, 2.0 SPG, 38% shooting, 31% 3-point
In his first three games this season, Poole only knocked down five of his 16 attempts from deep, and is currently at 31%. This must improve as the season goes as the Warriors need a consistent three-point marksman off-the-bench on a regular basis.
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Jordan Poole’s locker room attitude needs some polishing
NBA players don’t need to be nice all the time. However, team camaraderie is an essential aspect for a championship team like the Warriors. From the looks of it, Poole hasn’t been doing a great job in this overlooked category and the infamous physical altercation with Golden State veteran Draymond Green speaks volumes about it.
Previous reports stated that Poole’s attitude and demeanor have dramatically changed after he won his first NBA title with the Warriors. If reports are to be true, Poole should learn how to shy away from locker room clashes and behave like a true champion.
The new season had just begun and it’s another opportunity for Poole to prove to everyone that he is capable of being a much better player.