Former Golden State Warriors guard Jordan Poole could stand to benefit massively from the New Orleans Pelicans decision to hire Jamahl Mosley as their new head coach on Monday.
Poole may have some cause for celebration that interim James Borrego didn't get the job permanently, having stunningly seen his minutes and role at the Pelicans diminish drastically during his first year with the franchise.
Former Warrior Jordan Poole could benefit from Jamahl Mosley hiring
Having been traded by the Washington Wizards to the Pelicans last offseason, Poole averaged over 30 minutes through the first seven games of the season. He then suffered an injury that saw him miss the next 18 games, and in the meantime head coach Willie Green was axed with Borrego taking over.
From there on Poole averaged 22.5 minutes per game under Borrego, but more notably he was out of the rotation for no less than 24 games -- proving a remarkable downfall for someone who was such a big part of a championship less than four years earlier, and who's still on a four-year, $128 million contract as a result.
Poole got some opportunity late in the season when the season was well and truly over, going for 34 points and four assists in the third-last game against the Utah Jazz. Perhaps that was enough to suggest that with a new coach who has greater trust and faith, the 26-year-old can still be a positively impactful contributor moving forward.
Poole may still struggle to surpass Dejounte Murray and Jeremiah Fears as lead guards in the Pelicans rotation, but he could get more meaningful opportunity with New Orleans depending on Mosley's view of the former first-round pick.
Jordan Poole could still be on the move again this offseason
Despite only just being acquired by the franchise months earlier, there was speculation of Poole being moved by the Pelicans before the mid-season deadline. That didn't prove the case, but they could explore moves this summer where the 2022 champion will now be on an expiring contract.
Whether at the Pelicans or elsewhere, next season will be a big one for Poole to try and regain his NBA footing, especially when he'll be a free agent in 2027 and looking for another major deal that won't be forthcoming based on recent form.
The good news for Poole is that this Mosley hiring could bring a new chapter in his career, allowing him to bounce-back from the downwards trajectory that he's been on ever since being traded by the Warriors in 2023.
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