Warriors: Why this reporter thinks Jordan Poole could be odd man out

The Golden State Warriors are going to find themselves in an interesting predicament in the coming months and even years. How they marry their future roster with their current roster to set them up for long-term success is the question piquing the interest of fans.

It’s one easiest theorized than actually done as the Dubs are going to need to answer some difficult questions in the coming future, especially with Draymond Green seeking a max-value extension.

The Golden State Warriors will most likely have to choose between Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins, and this reporter would take the latter.

Green will likely figure his contract out, and even if it’s not at the max, it feels probable that it would be close to that. If that’s the case, then the Warriors would have to choose between giving either Andrew Wiggins or Jordan Poole a new deal.

Each brings a different skill set to the table, and the former is the better short-term play. Both are up for a new deal at the end of next season.

His two-way abilities make him a perfect fit alongside Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. However, Poole could be seen as the future of the Warriors’ backcourt. Jonathan Kuminga, James Wiseman, and Poole are the three that spearhead the Dubs youth movement.

Poole carried Golden State during the last few weeks of the season, averaging around 26 points per game for the few weeks following Curry’s injury against the Boston Celtics. Poole is also just 23 years old, four years younger than Wiggins.

However, Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle (subscription required) wrote that he believes the Warriors would keep Wiggins over Poole due to the scarcity of two-way forwards as opposed to the league’s numerous score-first shooting guards.

It’s tough to argue against him as well. Poole’s age and stardom do help.

His maturing and efficiency also make him convincing, but at the end of the day, Wiggins was arguably the second-best player in the NBA Finals for Golden State, and at 27, he still has a ton of prime left.

The Warriors are wanting to compete for the next several years, and given how Poole was picked apart for his defense in the Finals, the Dubs may choose to keep the former No. 1 overall pick. It’ll undoubtedly be a tough choice, and it’s a good problem to have.

Neither answer is the right one, but in the coming 12 months, we’ll undoubtedly see what the organization opts for.