Jordan Poole joined the Washington Wizards this off-season as the Golden State Warriors traded him to acquire point guard Chris Paul for their roster. Now that he is alongside Kyle Kuzma in Washington, Poole is expected to live up to his star power and potential to lead the Wizards forward. However, contrary to this belief, the Wizards are struggling in the East, having registered only 2 wins in the first eight games of the season.
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Jordan Poole’s post-Warriors form in the league has attracted the attention of NBA veterans, including the Boston Celtics legend Kevin Garnett. On the KG Certified show of Showtime Basketball, KG explained how he still expects Poole and Kuzma to become the face of the Wizards franchise and lead them through the league.
However, some of Poole’s current antics as the star of the team seem to be bothering the Celtics legend as he expressed his disappointment during the show. “I thought Jordan Poole was going to give me a lot more showmanship, not arrogance. Cause, the s**t he did on Porzingis was just arrogance. I thought he was in shoot around or at the park in the summer and just like you know play a video game. Bro, I think he’s too laid back for me right now. I think he needs to just pick it up, be a little more serious, and be a little more professional,” Garnett said.
Here, KG refers to Jordan Poole’s nonchalant three-point attempt over 7’3″ Kristaps Porzingis. To nobody’s surprise, Porzingis quickly blocked the shot and even scored on the other end after forcing the turnover. JP making no effective contribution for the Wizards being 26-11 down in the first quarter against the Celtics that night really tested KG’s patience.
The rest of the game did not go better for Poole either. The 2022 NBA champion finished the night with 11 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, and a block that resulted in a humiliating 126-107 loss for the Wizards. Clearly, Kevin Garnett and other NBA analysts’ concerns are valid, given that Jordan Poole has been unable to fit well with the Wizards this season.
Jordan Poole arrived at the Washington Wizards with expectations to get over his Dubs past
Jordan Poole had a rough year last season after engaging in a physical altercation with fellow Warriors star Draymond Green. While trash-talking during practice, an infuriated Draymond Green punched Poole, resulting in serious tensions within the Golden State roster.
Since that incident at the beginning of last season, Jordan Poole and Draymond Green have had a strenuous relationship with each other. The Warriors last season lacked essential chemistry, partly because Poole and Draymond Green could not find common ground after their conflict.
Being a prolific player himself, the internal drama effectively harmed Poole’s potential. Hence, an exit from the Warriors to a new team was essential for Poole to assert himself and redeem his lost potential as a star player.
Poole has starred in all eight games for the Wizards and seems quite happy with this change. Though the Wizards are 2-6 down in the Eastern Conference, Poole is still averaging 17.0 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists while having a 41.7 percent field goal percentage per game. Perhaps, if the 24-year-old can buckle up as Kevin Garnett says, he could lead the young Warriors core to new heights with his experience and prowess.
