Golden State Warriors: Jordan Poole was not ready for prime time

Jordan Poole has had a bumpy rookie season with the Golden State Warriors.

The Golden State Warriors were hopeful that Jordan Poole could have a productive rookie season but so far he has struggled in his role.

Poole was selected late in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft. The Warriors knew he would be relied on as a reserve player but never expected him to start in nearly half of his first 24 games.

The Dubs had no other choice but to thrust Poole into the spotlight. With major injuries thinning the Warriors lineup, Poole was forced to play big minutes.

It’s clear that he was not ready for primetime as the Warriors are now deciding to move Poole to their G-League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors.

In his 24 games with the Dubs, Poole averaged 7.9 points on an atrocious 25.8 percent shooting from the field and a 24.6 percent clip from the 3-point line. His offensive struggles were equally matched by his poor defense.

Though the start of his career has been far from ideal, we shouldn’t judge Poole too heavily. He was not prepared to take on such a consistent role with the team and he was forced to learn the game on the fly.

At 20 years of age, there is still potential for Poole. Spending some time in the G-League will do him well as he has fewer expectations and pressure to perform. Perhaps by the end of the season, he will be back in the Warriors rotation.

The Dubs will look for Poole to blossom into a productive role player one day. His raw talent as a shooter hasn’t translated to the league yet but he is still receiving praise from his teammates and at some point, we have to imagine he will hit his stride.

For now, Poole must continue to work on his game and be more prepared for the next time his number is called.