The Golden State Warriors made a big move by trading Jordan Poole and draft compensation to the Washington Wizards for future Hall-of-Fame point guard Chris Paul.
It was a curious move, especially considering that many felt the Warriors needed to get younger in order to make one more run at another NBA championship.
Right after the trade was announced, Poole apparently unfollowed Warriors forward Draymond Green on Instagram.
Jordan Poole appears to have unfollowed Draymond Green on IG right after his trade to the Wizards 👀
(h/t @GoIdenState) pic.twitter.com/PVX31l2oct
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 22, 2023
When one connects the dots, trading away Poole is perhaps not as surprising as it first seemed.
Poole and Green got into a much-publicized fight prior to this season, which resulted in Green punching Poole.
It happened around the time Poole got a lucrative contract extension from Golden State, and with Green now about to become a free agent, it was speculated that the latter’s days with the team were numbered.
Now, one has to wonder if the Warriors have pivoted towards favoring Green and keeping their old guard together for one more run.
Poole, who just turned 24 years of age, emerged last season when the Warriors won the world title, averaging 18.5 points per game, and although he put up 20.4 points a game in the regular season this year, his shooting percentages fell.
He seemed to be their most promising young player, not to mention someone who could take lots of pressure off the aging Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
Now, he will he heading to the Wizards, a team that is in full rebuild mode after trading both Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis this week.
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The Warriors Suddenly Have A Historic Backcourt