When Captain Klay returns to the lineup, he will assume his starting role alongside his Splash Brother Steph. It could be coming as soon as Sunday, and the Warriors are making preparations. Jordan Poole has come off the bench for the past two games, since missing six games due to a stint in the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
During his bi-weekly appearance on 95.7 The Game’s “The Morning Roast: Executive Show” Tuesday, Warriors president of basketball operations/general manager Bob Myers discussed Poole’s short-term and long-term future. You can listen to the full interview below:
The explosive third-year guard dropped 32 points in Monday’s 115-108 win over the Miami Heat and is primed to be a premier sixth man when Thompson comes back.
“That might be the best game Jordan’s played,” Myers told Bonta Hill and Joe Shasky. “If you look at his efficiency, his passing, his control of the game, in a game where we needed him to be that guy. Because people are shocked when Steph has an off-night, but he’s a human being, stuff happens. For Jordan to step into that role, we’re just watching him grow.”
Myers said Poole deserves credit for keeping in mental and physical shape during his 10-day quarantine in Boston at the end of December. Poole did everything he could within the confines of his hotel room – burpees, squats, pushups, resistance band work – to stay locked in.
“It’s not that easy to do, mentally.” Myers said.
With Poole moving to a high-profile sixth man role, Shasky told Myers he sees the scorer in a Manu Ginobili-like role.
“That’s lofty praise,” Myers said. “I’m a huge Ginobili guy. I know where you’re going with this. He probably should have been a starter, a little like we had [Andre] Iguodala. Even though Iguodala and Poole are very different players. You know, a guy that doesn’t start, but could start on many, many teams. And maybe even start on your own team, you can make that argument, too.”
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Myers took it a step further when discussing Poole’s future.
The Warriors have busted their title window back open after it appeared to be closing the past two seasons. Klay Thompson is on the verge of rejoining the Warriors’ veteran nucleus of Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Iguodala. But one day, those players will be retired and Poole could be the face of the franchise, along with other youngsters like Jonathan Kuminga and James Wiseman.
Myers has clearly thought about what the Warriors will look like when Poole is running the show.
“It’s going to be fascinating to see him, because it’s always harder when the team is not – you don’t have those keys to drive the car,” Myers said. “Who knows when that’ll be, because Curry’s going to be here a long time. I’m fascinated to see what Jordan will be like when the offense is kind of his. We’re a way aways from that, but you see these sprinklings. You guys know what I’m talking about – you see this kind of what it could be – this kind of potential to let loose. We saw him let loose as a rookie, but he wasn’t ready for that. We’re watching him learn as we go and it’s great. It’s a great guy to learn under and it’s a great team to learn under. Not only learning, but he’s helping us right now. I’m excited for the present and the future for him.”
Poole will be eligible for a rookie contract extension following this season, and The Athletic’s Anthony Slater recently estimated he could be due for a deal in the four-year, $80 million range. It sounds like Myers and Co. would be comfortable writing that check this summer.
