By trading away Jordan Hawkins and Micah Peavy earlier this week, the New Orleans pelicans shut down whatever slight chance there was of waiving former Golden State Warriors guard Jordan Poole.
That’s not to say the Pelicans’ recent roster moves haven’t created a fresh problem for Poole. While the departures of Hawkins and Peavy should theoretically open up rotational minutes at the two guard position, the addition of Bennedict Mathurin puts another obstacle in the way of the former Warrior champion and his hopes of a bounce-back season.
Pelicans create new problem for Jordan Poole with Bennedict Mathurin move
The trade allowed New Orleans to eventually sign Mathurin to a two-year $16 million contract. He’ll make more than $25 million less than Poole will on their respective salaries this season, but last season and the Pelicans pursuit of Mathurin suggests their playing time and rotational opportunity won’t be reflective of their contracts.
Mathurin just adds another scoring guard to the Pelicans mix, joining the likes of Dejounte Murray and Jeremiah Fears as players who will be prioritized ahead of Poole. Combine that with the front court scoring and playmaking of Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III and Derik Queen, and you wonder how Poole will even get a look in to do what he does best — attack off the dribble, shoot from deep and make plays.
It leaves Poole relying on injuries if he wants to get minutes under new head coach Jamal Mosley, according to analyst Scott Taylor of Pelican Debrief in the aftermath of this week's moves.
"While I don’t think Poole gets many minutes, if any at all, with a completely healthy roster, the chances of everyone staying healthy are slim to none. Either way, it will be interesting to see where Poole lands on the depth chart," Taylor wrote.
Jordan Poole may be headed for underwhelming free agency
There’s little doubt at the moment that Poole isn’t part of New Orleans’s future, and that they would’ve traded him by now if his contract wasn’t essentially unmovable. That’s a far from desirable situation for any player to be in, particularly one who’s trying to restore their value ahead of an entry into free agency next year.
The issue for Poole is that he might just be biding his time and that this could prove another wasted year. Instead of being able to restore his value this season and generate a healthy deal next summer, Poole might need to do that the following year on a new team before entertaining any thought of another reasonable contract.
Perhaps that could be at the Warriors who remain the team that developed and got the most out of pool, especially from a winning impact standpoint after he played a key role in the 2022 championship.
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