The Golden State Warriors had a poignant reunion on Monday night, when they welcomed the New Orleans Pelicans to town, and proceeded to crush them by 51 points. There are a lot of former Warriors around the league, but some feel different when they face the Warriors, and that was the case when Jordan Poole checked into the game.
It’s no secret that it’s been a rough few years for Poole, whom the Warriors took with the 28th pick of the 2019 NBA Draft out of Michigan. After showing some signs in his first two seasons, Poole burst onto the scene during the 2021-22 campaign, when he became a starter, played 30 minutes a night, averaged 18.5 points and 4.0 assists, led the NBA in free throw percentage, had a highlight every game, and was at times the second option on a Warriors team that would eventually defeat the Boston Celtics to win an NBA championship.
But things went sideways for there. The next year was bittersweet, as Poole parlayed his performance into a massive extension, but was also on the receiving end of a punch from teammate Draymond Green, which led to uncomfortable vibes and thick tension for the entire year. The next offseason, the Warriors traded Poole to the Washington Wizards for Chris Paul, and, away from the confines of Steph Curry and Steve Kerr’s offense, Poole struggled, putting up big numbers but on very low efficiency.
He bounced back with a strong offensive showing in 2024-25, but prior to last season was traded to the Pelicans. His first year in the bayou did not go according to plan, as he averaged just 13.4 points and shot a lowly 37.2% from the field.
This year has been even worse. Poole started the season slow, coming off the bench in the first four games of the season and having lackluster numbers. That earned him a benching, and when New Orleans came to town on Monday, Poole had gone six straight games without getting on the court.
That playing drought ended on Monday. With the Pelicans down a handful of key players — including Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, and Yves Missi — and with the game a blowout from the start, Jamahl Mosley gave Poole his largest run of the season, playing him for 34 minutes. Poole didn’t play well — he scored seven points on 1-for-5 shooting, with two assists and two turnovers — but it was still nice seeing him out there. And it was hard not to wonder: what could have been?
Maybe we’ll get something of an answer someday. While Poole has been reluctant to discuss the situation with Green, Monday was the first time that he really spoke about his time in Golden State. And he didn’t hide his feelings: he misses it.
Asked by reporters if he missed Golden State, Poole made his thoughts emphatically clear, saying, “Hell yeah! Obviously. They play the right way, bro. They play good basketball. They play team basketball … Do I miss it? Hell yeah.”
Poole then spoke very openly about the difficulties of the current season, where he’s struggling to find minutes on a team that is likely headed for the lottery. He didn’t make excuses or cast blame anywhere, but repeated twice that the season — only a few weeks old — has been “pretty f*****g difficult.”
His answer led to an obvious follow-up: would Poole, who will be an unrestricted free agent after the season, be amenable to a return to the Bay Area? Again, he left no doubt with his response, saying, “Yes. Yes. It just feels like home though, you know? Driving into the f*****g arena, crossing the Bay Bridge or wherever you’re coming from, it definitely feels natural. And I think it’s pretty evident, the way that I play is very fitting to how I used to play here. Nothing’s changed, other than the systems that I’m in. We won a championship, you know, so it works … so to answer your question: definitely.”
Poole elaborated, all but saying that he would jump at the opportunity to sign with the Dubs in free agency, should he be offered a contract. “I’m a free agent at the end of this season,” the 27-year old explained. “If there’s any place where I’m comfortable, it’s probably where I started. So I just got to find ways to keep learning and try to make the best decisions for my future.”
Barring something unexpected, the Warriors should have no problems finding the money to sign Poole next offseason, since his current play has tanked his value. A reunion would likely come down to whether or not the team felt they had a need for his services, and whether they believed he could bounce back following a few down years. He certainly seems like the ideal change-of-scenery candidate, and the Warriors are very familiar with his game and his work habits. They’re always on the lookout for bench scorers, and especially could end up needing him if Brandon Williams departs next summer.
That’s a long ways from now. But who knows: maybe this time next year, Poole will be back in a Warriors jersey. It sure sounds like he’d like that.
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,” one X user wrote in a comment to the original X post.
that’s his baby,” added another fan. 
(@ohnohedidnt24) 
