Jordan Poole, Warriors Finalizing 4-Year, $140M Contract Extension
After a breakout 2021-22 season, Jordan Poole is cashing in.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Poole's agents confirmed on Saturday that he is finalizing a four-year, $140 million extension with the Golden State Warriors ahead of the 2022-23 season.
Poole was heading into the final year of his rookie deal and was eligible for an extension for the first time this offseason.
The former Michigan standout became the focus of some controversy during the preseason after a practice altercation with Draymond Green, who stepped away from the team indefinitely before returning Thursday.
Poole remained a key part of the organization while impressing head coach Steve Kerr.
"There's a reason he’s in this position, about to sign a big extension, hopefully," Kerr told reporters. "He's just tough. He's mentally tough and physically tough and ultra confident in his game."
Golden State now keeps the 23-year-old under contract as he tries to build off his breakout 2021-22 campaign.
After averaging 10.3 points per game mostly off the bench during his first two years with Golden State—even spending some time in the G League—Poole took on a bigger role last season. He made it count with averages of 18.5 points, 4.0 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game.
He was one of the most improved players in the NBA with a scoring jump of 6.5 points per game, and he led the entire league with a 92.5 percent conversion rate from the free-throw line.
With Stephen Curry missing significant time with a foot injury and Klay Thompson working his way back to full strength after missing the previous two years, Poole became the Warriors' go-to option down the stretch of the year and into the postseason.
"You're talking a guy who was on the third team All-G League last year, has been our No. 1 option in this playoffs," Green said during the first round. "The way he's playing, he's gained the trust of everyone on the team, he's gained the trust of coach Kerr, and he's gained fear from everybody else."
Poole stepped up in the playoffs and came through with some of the biggest highlights of the NBA Finals:
He averaged 17 points per game in the playoffs while helping the Warriors take home the NBA title.
With Curry, Thompson and Andrew Wiggins all under team control, the Warriors have a dangerous collection of perimeter players and should be a threat to win another title.
