For all his inconsistencies, issues on defense and decision-making concerns, the positive elements of Jordan Poole's game are something the Golden State Warriors have yet to replace since they traded the young guard nearly two years ago.
The Warriors don't have that explosive, dynamic bucket-getter at the guard position who can help Stephen Curry and juice up the overall offense. That became even more evident once Curry went down with his hamstring injury in Game 1 of the second-round against the Minnesota Timberwolves, with Golden State losing four-straight games and subsequently being eliminated from the playoffs as a result.
While the Warriors may be rightly prioritizing adding size across the roster this offseason, finding an adequate replacement for Poole is something they should also be looking at. Fortunately there are some potential trade options, and ones that won't cost the sort of $30+ million per year contract they gave Poole before trading him.
Jordan Clarkson could give the Warriors the dynamic bench scorer they need
Along with Chicago Bulls guard Coby White, Jordan Clarkson is another who Golden State could target this offseason. The 32-year-old will be entering the final year of his deal making $14.3 million, with the Utah Jazz potentially looking to cash in on Clarkson before he becomes a free agent next season.
Clarkson has been a consistent 16-21 PPG scorer over the last five years, including winning Sixth Man of the Year in 2021. He averaged 16.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 37 games this season, while shooting 40.8% from the floor and 36.2% from 3-point range.
The veteran guard may not get the same playing time or opportunity in the Warrior offense, but he could be an 18-22 minute bench player who can step up into an elevated role when Stephen Curry or Jimmy Butler are out resting.
Golden State appeared to have some depth heading into the postseason, yet they ultimately couldn't really count on their young players when it mattered most. Adding Clarkson would give them another legitimate veteran playoff rotation piece, while also simply being a player who can dribble, shoot and pass of which the Warriors lack beyond Curry, Butler and perhaps Brandin Podziemski.
In terms of a trade, Golden State could use Moses Moody as the primary asset in a Clarkson deal. Would that be worth it for both sides? The Jazz get another young piece for their rebuild on a team-friendly deal, while the Warriors get a veteran shot-creator who's more aligned with their win-now timeline.
Whether it's Clarkson or someone else, finding a version of Poole as a spark plug scorer is something the Warriors seriously need to be addressing this summer.