Steve Kerr has revealed his regrets about how Jordan Poole‘s tenure with the Golden State Warriors ended. The sharpshooting guard joined the Warriors as the 28th overall pick in the 2019 draft. He quickly developed in Golden State’s system, becoming a prominent member of the rotation and an important part of the team’s run toward the 2022 NBA championship,
However, Poole’s tenure with the franchise soured. The incident with Draymond Green was an issue Golden State spent a season trying to get from under, and Poole’s growing desire to become a more featured member of the offense was clearly another factor in the Warriors choosing to move on from him this summer.
Nevertheless, Kerr shared his regrets when speaking to Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
“I just hate the way it ended for Jordan here, because he is a huge success story,” Kerr said. “For us and for him, this was a great marriage. He helped us win a title. We helped him, you know, become a champion and a guy who signed a big contract, life-changing contract. It was all wildly successful. But I hate the way it ended.”
Poole was ultimately traded to the Washington Wizards as part of the deal that sent Chris Paul to the Bay Area. The 2022 champion is now Washington’s primary ball-handler and offensive option but is clearly still adapting to his new role and teammates.
Jordan Poole returns to face the Warriors on Friday night. I talked to Poole, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Steve Kerr and Kevon Looney about Poole's tenure with the Warriors.
"I just hate the way it ended for Jordan"https://t.co/qwtxjCZ2VZ
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) December 21, 2023
In 26 games, Poole is averaging 17.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists while shooting 41.2% from the field and 31.7% from 3-point range. Nevertheless, players usually find a new gear when facing a former team, which means Golden State will need to be ready for a potential breakout performance from their former guard.