If every NBA player were given a second chance in their career, this would be the season that Jordan Poole would want to forget and never be mentioned again. When Poole joined the Washington team in the 2023-24 season, there were high expectations of what he could achieve alongside Kyle Kuzma. However, with only nine wins so far, this season has been a huge disappointment for Poole. If there was an award for the player who has been most exposed, Poole would undoubtedly win it.
The fact that Poole has performed so poorly this season is the reason why he deserves this award. In Washington, he has shown that his success with the Golden State Warriors was most likely an exception. It demonstrates that many NBA players can only shine when playing alongside Hall of Fame-level teammates. This is similar to how Doc Rivers benefited from having talented players in Boston, but his teams have not achieved the same level of success since the 2007-08 Celtics.
Like many of Rivers’ teams, Poole has been incredibly embarrassing as a member of the Wizards, especially during the playoffs. While it was expected that Washington would lose many games, it was also believed that Poole would thrive as the team’s number one option, a role he aspired to have with the Warriors. However, this was never going to happen with Steph Curry on the roster. At best, Poole would have been the second option, but even that was not satisfactory.
After experiencing the thrill of winning a championship and signing a lucrative contract extension, Poole wanted more. He believed he deserved to lead his own team, and he got the opportunity with the Wizards. Unfortunately, he has led them to the bottom of the Eastern Conference. The only team with a worse record than the Wizards is the Detroit Pistons, and they have the excuse of being a very young team.
The Wizards lack smart play and efficiency. Poole was supposed to improve the team, but instead, he has made them worse. His offensive statistics have significantly declined in all relevant categories. This is particularly disheartening considering that scoring was his main contribution. If he is not scoring 20+ points per night, it becomes difficult to justify his presence on the court and expect to win.
In a game against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night, Poole only scored three points in 27 minutes. He made one three-pointer and had a 1-for-12 shooting performance overall. In his previous five games, Poole had two games where he scored four points or fewer, and in one game, he did not score at all.
Talk of Washington trading Poole had already begun before the start of 2024. The organization quickly regretted their decision to acquire him, and it is truly a shame. A player who was believed to have great potential has turned out to be the worst acquisition of the past offseason for any team.
No one expected the Wizards to instantly become playoff contenders in Poole’s first year with the team. However, it was reasonable to expect them to be competitive and possibly contend for a play-in tournament spot. Instead, they will have one of the top picks in this year’s draft, and Poole will likely be moving on to another team. When it comes to players who have been exposed on the court, Poole would win that award by a significant margin.
According to the Source deadspin.com