The Warriors have wasted little time in locking up young star guard Jordan Poole in the wake of his incident with Draymond Green. The guard’s agents tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that the two sides are finalizing a massive four-year, $140 million extension.
“Sides are completing final details today and formal agreement expected soon,” Wojnarowski reported on Saturday morning.
The 23-year-old has improved drastically each year in the league, and is coming off of a career year, helping Golden State win a fourth title during the era led by Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Green. He averaged 18.5 points and four assists per game in 2021–22, shooting 44.8/36.4/92.5% in 30 minutes per contest on the season. He remained a key contributor in the playoffs, averaging 17 points and shooting over 39% from three point range.
Poole’s contract situation came under a microscope earlier this month, after he was punched in the face by Green during practice. In a video of the incident leaked to TMZ Sports, Green is seen slowly walking up to Poole after the two had words. Poole shoved Green away, and the forward responded by punching him forcefully, taking him down to the ground.
Green avoided a suspension from the team, instead receiving a fine. He took time away from the team after the altercation, but is expected to be in the lineup when the Warriors tip off their season on Tuesday.
After the initial incident report, Chris Haynes reported that the situation had built up over the summer, with Poole’s teammates noticing a change in his behavior as he neared this potential huge contract extension. Multiple Warriors players and officials have denied that Poole’s contract situation had anything to do with the fight.
Poole’s contract negotiations coincide with a situation playing out with Green, who could enter free agency or exercise a player option to remain with the Warriors for 2023–24. He turned down the opportunity to expound on his contract situation while speaking to reporters on Thursday.
“I spoke on that at the very beginning [of training camp]. I said, ‘I don’t think we’ll do an extension.’ Quite frankly, that doesn’t mean that I won’t be back here. I just don’t think we’ll do an extension this year. So I said that at the beginning of camp. That’s not something that I’m gonna talk about all year,” Green explained, per The Athletic’s Anthony Slater.
“We’ve got a championship to win. I’m not one to let conversations about my future or what I’m going to do … I don’t get off into that. I don’t like to let contract drama linger. Especially when it’s involving me. … If you’re going to let a contract situation linger, then you better be damn sure that you’re willing to handle all the effects of a contract lingering, that it can have on a team. And quite frankly, everybody don’t do that.”
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For more Golden State Warriors coverage, go to Inside The Warriors.
