Jordan Poole is vital to the Warriors prolonging the NBA championship window for four-time winners Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Steph Curry.
Just ask Curry himself.
Golden State's superstar guard explained during Wednesday night's Warriors-Detroit Pistons game broadcast how Poole can take the next step to long-term NBA success.
"He has so much potential, and obviously he's showing it," Curry told Bob Fitzgerald and Kelenna Azubuike, "but just being able to take the next step is being that consistent every-night type of guy with heavy minutes and heavy expectations and dealing with the best defenders.
"Coming off that championship last year and everything he contributed to that, there's levels for him to get to, and he knows that we're going to continue to challenge him, but also, he makes us better."
Poole is taking steps to become a player who can take the load off Curry and Thompson, as the two Warriors stars are in the latter years of their NBA careers.
Curry went out Dec. 14 with a left shoulder subluxation, meaning more playing time for Poole, who entered Wednesday averaging 29.1 points, 3.7 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 34.2 minutes in nine Steph-less games. Those are nice numbers, but the accompanying 5.1 turnovers per game and 28.4 percent 3-point shooting are not.
Golden State Warriors
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Curry likely will be out for one more week, leaving Poole still under the microscope, as fans and pundits alike ask if the 23-year-old is up to the task.