The Golden State Warriors just became the first team the Los Angeles Lakers have beat in preseason since 2020. That may not be the best thing said about the defending champions but preseason is never a massive concern for any team. The Warriors had good moments on the court together, especially the performance by Jordan Poole.
Poole has been in the news for being punched by Draymond Green in practice, so he had to use this game to remind everyone what a good player he is. It also helped reaffirm his decision to push for a big contract extension, as Poole had a 25-point performance. He had a bevy of highlight clips, with the best one being a behind-the-back move to fake the defender before finishing it as a layup. The move was so smooth that even Kevin Durant had to hop on Twitter to talk about it.
Who thinks to do some shit like this #boynice https://t.co/9V6pAGqQ4m
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) October 10, 2022
The Warriors were without Draymond Green, who had to take time away from the team before the season after the punching incident. Poole has gotten a chance to shine in the meantime and he will continue putting in these performances on the court.
Is Jordan Poole Going To Take An All-Star Jump?
The next step for Poole has to be targeting the All-Star team. Considering he wants the Warriors to give him a big contract, possibly at the expense of the team re-signing Draymond Green, he needs to give them a lot more value on the court.
If Poole can become a regular 20+ point scorer and play above-average defense, he could be a contender for an All-Star team. It would virtually guarantee him a max contract extension from the Warriors because he would have played up to that value.
The opportunity for him to achieve that will be low, especially if the Warriors choose to bring him off the bench behind Klay Thompson. Either way, he is in a position to make a massive impact this season.
