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Jordan Poole of the Golden State Warriors.
It’s been an awkward season for the Golden State Warriors. Just last year, they were the NBA Champions, but they’ve failed to live up to expectations thus far this season. At the midway point of the season, they’re sitting at 20-20, good for sixth place in the Western Conference.
If things don’t turn out well this year, taking a look at the trade market could be a serious possibility this offseason. While they may not make a blockbuster deal, there could be some out there worth exploring. An NBA executive who spoke with Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports said that a potential deal swapping Jordan Poole and other assets for Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James could be worth considering.
“If there is a bidding war going on at some point, the Warriors are in a great position because they can give you the young guys – [James] Wiseman or [Jonathan] Kuminga or [Moses] Moody, or [Pat] Baldwin, whoever the Lakers want,” the executive told Deveney. “But you have to add either Poole or [Andrew] Wiggins, and that’s not easy. But if they want to win now, you can give up Poole if you are getting back LeBron, right? If they keep Draymond [Green] and come back with Steph [Curry], Klay Thompson, Draymond and LeBron, that would be a fun, fun team to watch.”
James and the Warriors have been bitter rivals for the better part of the last decade, as his Cleveland Cavaliers faced off against Golden State in the NBA Finals for four years in a row. That being said, him teaming up with Curry, Thompson, and Green would be a move that would completely shake up the league.
Giving up Poole would be a huge leap of faith for the Warriors, as they would essentially be mortgaging the future for a win-now move. But if it leads to a championship, it could be worth it.
Warriors Labeled as Favorites to Trade for LeBron James
This isn’t the first time that James has been linked to the Warriors. Sam Quinn of CBS Sports wrote up an index of potential trade destinations for James and listed the Warriors are one of the top landing spots.
“Hey, speaking of quotes launching rumors, James wasn’t even a little subtle in April when he said that Stephen Curry would be the player in today’s league with whom he’d most want to play,” Quinn wrote. “The Bay Area isn’t quite New York or Los Angeles, but it’s still an extremely appealing market thanks to Silicon Valley. Golden State’s ownership has hinted that it doesn’t plan to pay for a half-billion dollar payroll in the near future, but perhaps they’d change their tune if it meant access to all of the ancillary revenue streams James creates. The Warriors may not have felt they needed James to compete for a fifth championship before the season. Their poor start could make them more aggressive.”
Warriors Struggles Blamed on Jordan Poole
As for Poole, he’s shown flashes of incredible potential, and whenever Curry is injured, he steps up in a big way. However, according to Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area, the Warriors’ success this season largely depends on Poole and his inconsistencies.
“The Warriors knew from the beginning of Jordan Poole’s time as the starting point guard that they would fly no higher than his wings would take them,” Poole wrote. “They’re getting a good look at the limit. Though JP has star moments, it’s evident he is years away from reaching his potential. Gorgeous flashes of wonder, when he combines efficiency with spectacle, do not amount to consistency. Poole’s inconsistency is first among several reasons why the Warriors over the past few days have regressed to the mediocrity they hoped they had left behind. As Poole faltered, so did they.”