SAN FRANCISCO – Once Stephen Curry entered his 30s, the Warriors’ antennae started rising. Their wish for a young, dynamic guard with NBA All-Star potential landed them at the feet of Jordan Poole.
Once Poole flashed a glimpse of such potential last season, the Warriors realized The Next was on the roster. He was the first step to secure a squad capable of contending in years to come.
Coach Steve Kerr dropped that hint nearly a week ago.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
“He's someone we're going to rely on for many years to come and that's exciting,” Kerr said last Sunday night. “We got a lot of good young players. But Jordan is by far the most advanced and we're going to lean on him heavily now and well into the future.”
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Saturday morning, citing sources, that the Warriors and Poole’s agents at Creative Arts Agency already, in deep discussions, were finalizing a four-year rookie-scale contract extension worth up to $140 million.
The deal is expected to be signed Saturday or Sunday, a league source told NBC Sports Bay Area.
The market for Poole was set last month, when the Miami Heat signed Tyler Herro to an extension worth up to $130 million, including incentives. Poole’s contract also contains incentives, a league source told NBC Sport Bay Area.
Golden State Warriors
Poole earned this extension and becomes the latest member of a terrific 2019 draft class to sign one, following the likes of Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans), Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies), Darius Garland (Cleveland Cavaliers), RJ Barrett (New York Knicks) and Herro.
Though it was clear the Warriors placed a high priority on re-signing Poole, there was some concern a deal might be jeopardized after he was punched in the face by veteran teammate Draymond Green during practice on Oct. 5. Later that night, a league source told NBC Sports Bay Area that Poole’s price “might have gone up” in the wake of the incident.
The Warriors, however, realized this was a move they pretty much had to make, even if Poole and his representatives had additional leverage.
Furthermore, the Warriors were impressed with Poole’s handling of what was a delicate matter with the potential to fracture a team defending its NBA championship.
“My observation of Jordan is that he’s an incredibly mature young guy,” Kerr said Tuesday night. “We’ve seen that on the basketball side with his work ethic and his ability to work through his rough rookie season and go to the G-League bubble and do everything to get where he is now. It takes a lot more than just talent. This is a pretty special young guy.”
Poole, 23, established himself as a future cornerstone last season, when while shuttling between the starting lineup and a Sixth Man role he averaged 18.5 points and 4.0 assists per game. He led the NBA in free-throw shooting percentage (92.5) and his 211 3-pointers ranked 15th in the league.
When he scored 30 points in his NBA postseason debut against the Nuggets, and then followed it up with 29 points in Game 2, Poole’s two-game total was the highest for any Warrior in his initial playoff games since Wilt Chamberlain in 1960. Poole’s 10 3-pointers in those games are the most in league history by any player in his first two playoff games.
RELATED: Twitter reacts to Poole's contract extension
With Andrew Wiggins eligible for an extension, and Green also seeking one, the Warriors placed Poole first in line. They opened the vault.
Curry turns 35 this season. Poole turns 24 after the season. He might be the most dangerous Sixth Man in the NBA now, but he’ll outgrow that role at some point during the span of his contract.
Once Curry retires, and it will be as a Warrior, there is no doubt to whom he will pass the torch.