A year that had been full of just positives for Jordan Poole suddenly went sour when Draymond Green punched him in the face during practice. The moment has gone down in infamy at this point thanks to the video getting leaked and Green, who apologized for the punch, is now taking some time away from the team to give Poole and his teammates some space.
Poole has also handled this situation fairly well, as he stayed and completed practice after the punch, with teammate Moses Moody praising his professionalism. He then proceeded to ball out against the Lakers in a preseason game, which led to Kevin Durant singing his praises as well.
Jordan Poole Could Sign A Contract Extension With The Warriors Next Week
The backdrop to all of this that has been going on is that Poole is up for an extension, and the deadline for it is approaching. If the two sides cannot agree on the terms by October 17th, then Poole becomes a restricted free agent next summer, something the Warriors would be desperate to avoid. Head coach Steve Kerr recently stated that he hopes an extension gets done and when Warriors insider Anthony Slater was asked about the status of Poole’s extension, he said it could happen in the next week.
via The Athletic NBA Show (starts at 8:47 mark):
“It does seem like it’s getting close. Steve Kerr, in a moment of maybe too much transparency as far as the front office might be concerned last night said in his postgame, ‘There’s a reason Jordan’s in this moment. There’s a reason he was able handle it,’ and then he says, ‘and there’s a reason he’s about to sign a big contract extension — pause— hopefully.’ Obviously, Steve’s a little more privy to that information than we are.”
“Steve then went on to say ‘This guy is gonna be a huge part of our future for years to come.’ and basically said he was the most advanced of these young players that are considered the next era of the Warriors… I do expect a contract extension to happen in the next week.”
That would be pushing it close to the deadline, but it does seem like the two sides are getting closer. It would be massive for the Warriors if they can keep him around long-term, as he seems to be on the verge of becoming a star in this league.
As far as the guy who punched him goes, this upcoming season might well be Green’s last with the Warriors. Reports indicated that he had lost the trust and respect of his teammates after the incident and Kevon Looney basically confirmed it when he said Draymond has some work to do to regain their trust. Stephen A. Smith also claimed that Green believes this is his last year in Golden State, so the end might be upon us in a year’s time.
