After two seasons with the Washington Wizards, Jordan Poole will suit up for the New Orleans Pelicans for the 2025-26 season. Draymond Green believes the Pelicans got the best end of the bargain.
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Poole, Saadiq Bey and the 40th pick of the 2025 NBA Draft will go to the Pelicans. Washington will receive CJ McCollum, Kelly Olynyk and a future second-round pick. Newly appointed general manager Joe Dumars is initiating a youth movement in New Orleans, and he’s drawn in Poole as one of the main pieces.
New Orleans may be a conference rival of Green’s Warriors, but that doesn’t prevent him from appreciating the trade details.
“When I look at this Pelicans move, I like it,” Green said on The Draymond Green Show. “Jordan still has room for growth. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of his growth yet.”
If anyone is qualified to speak on Poole’s potential, it’s Green. The two were teammates for four seasons. Green witnessed Poole improve from an average of 8.8 points per game to 20.4 points in his final year with Golden State. He emerged as a key offensive option during the Warriors’ 2022 title run.
Unfortunately, Poole didn’t experience the levels of success many projected during his brief tenure in Washington. The lack of a concrete structure and talent around him could explain why. New Orleans has Washington beat in the area of leadership, which could play a huge role.
“Getting in an organization like New Orleans under Joe Dumar’s leadership and with Willie Green as the coach, I think it’ll be a really good situation for him,” Green said.
Poole didn’t have stability in Washington. The Wizards fired head coach Wes Unseld Jr. in the middle of Poole’s first season with the team. Willie Green, however, has established a culture in New Orleans which will allow Poole to ease into his new role with the Pelicans.
The 6-foot-4 guard will have greater talent around him than he did in Washington. Most importantly, he won’t be the team’s No. 1 option. Those duties belong to Zion Williamson. The lack of offensive burden will allow Poole to play with fewer restrictions and more freedom.
New Orleans still has Dejounte Murray on the roster, and it will be interesting to see how he coexists with Poole. The upside is clearly there with the one-time champion. Only time will tell if he reaches his full potential with the Pelicans.
