“When you was in Golden State, your sh*t was clean. Sh*t was nice. Now, you just look like you let yourself go”. Music star Cam’Ron’s criticism of Jordan Poole’s physical change resonated with the added pressure that had come with the player leading his own franchise. Drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 2019, Poole was once considered to be a cornerstone of the post-Stephen Curry era, using the time to build himself up before taking charge. However, the shooting guard put a wrench in the plans after signing with the Washington Wizards. Under his leadership, the franchise went on to only make a 9-48 by February, and conclude the season with the second-worst record of the season. With one season being enough to cast a dark cloud over his progression, the player’s on-court rival has now come out to suggest another franchise switch!

During his ‘Off-Guard’ podcast, former Washington Wizards point guard Austin Rivers talked about Poole’s recent season run. Rivers firmly believed that Poole made the wrong decision in seeking a trade. Looking at how things soured by the end of his Warriors tenure, however, going back may not be an option. Despite this, the former player urged for a change. He said, “I miss seeing Jordan Poole play meaningful basketball where he’s not the first option. That’s not what he should be. He should be on a really good team and be a guy that comes off the bench or like a third or fourth option, get paid a lot of money, and go compete, because he could be a difference maker, because he’s really good at basketball.”

The player certainly displayed some scoring potential as a Wizard, averaging 17.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 4.4 assists for 78 games. Alongside Kyle Kuzma, who averaged 22.2 points per game, there was a potential to put out a strong offensive front. Unfortunately, they placed emphasis on him regarding defense as one of the main players. By January, he had a defensive rating of 121.8, reportedly the worst in the league. If the low stats and win record weren’t surprising enough, it was also reported that the player had developed a somewhat ‘selfish’ attitude, further infuriating his teammates.

Soon enough, the player started to lose support from outside his own team as well. Kevin Garnett, who had earlier indicated that Poole should be given a chance, retracted the support by stating: “He does not belong in the league.” Rumors began running rampant that the Wizards were ready to trade him, with speculation continuing even a couple of weeks before the commencement of the pre-season. From being the ‘third Splash Brother’ to reaching his current situation, a downfall is certainly noticeable. Therefore, what better way to revive your image than to let others take charge while you occupy a position as the fourth-leading scorer in a championship-worthy team? After all, the majority of the members loved him as a Warriors star.

“A great marriage”: Steve Kerr regretted Jordan Poole heading to the Wizards

Jordan Poole’s decision to leave the Warriors was certainly newsworthy, but not entirely a surprise for Bay Area fans. After all, they have been noticing a rise in tension between the player and star veteran Draymond Green for quite some time. The biggest incident to escalate the situation didn’t come during a game but rather during a practice session. Green reportedly punched his teammate back in October 2022. While the four-time champion was fined, Poole was traded eight months later. The fight reportedly played as a major part in the trade. Not everyone felt good, or even neutral, about how things turned out. Amongst them was head coach Steve Kerr.

“I look back at that, and I hate that it happened,” Kerr said during an interview with The Athletic’s Anthony Slater. “I just hate the way it ended for Jordan here, because he is a huge success story. For us and for him, this was a great marriage. He helped us win a title. We helped him, you know, become a champion and a guy who signed a big contract, life-changing contract. It was all wildly successful. But I hate the way it ended,” Kerr said.

With Klay Thompson’s exit, there was potentially a way to bring Poole back, and even promote him to the ‘second Splash Brother’ role. Unfortunately, Draymond Green may have ensured that the boat sailed away, leaving Poole to find another championship-contending team.

Before you go, remember to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr