Wizards’ Jordan Poole Not Happy After Coming Off Bench Against Nuggets

Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole came off the bench last night (2/22) against the Denver Nuggets and the NBA champion wasn’t happy about the move. 

After the Wizards lost to the Nuggets, Poole spoke about coming off the bench for the first time all season. 

Spoke to a displeased Jordan Poole postgame about the Wizards' moving him to the bench: "If there’s any common sense, with the situation, you should know how I feel. But I’m just going to come out, do what I can do to help the team, keep it moving."

— Ava Wallace (@avarwallace) February 23, 2024

"I mean, if this is a way to try to get me on ball, I guess that’s just what we have to do." Poole said he feels he's proved his value in many diff. areas on court… "I can't do anything but control what I can control."

— Ava Wallace (@avarwallace) February 23, 2024

The Wizards lost to the Nuggets by a final score of 130-110 to drop to 9-46 on the season. Poole finished with 18 points in 30 minutes while shooting 4-of-17 overall, 3-of-9 from 3 and 7-of-9 from the free-throw line. 

According to NBA front-office insider Bobby Marks of ESPN, many teams think Poole has the worst contract in the league right now. The Golden State Warriors signed Poole to a four-year, $128 million extension in October 2022. Poole is making $27.5 million this season. 

The Warriors traded Poole to the Wizards last offseason for Chris Paul. Draymond Green punched Poole in the face before the 2022-23 season started, causing an uncomfortable dynamic in Golden State. 

Poole is averaging 15.7 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists for the Wizards this season while shooting 39.6% from the field, 30.4% from beyond the arc and 85.4% from the free-throw line. He has a brutal plus-minus of -361. 

A Michigan product, Poole will make $29.7 million next season, $31.8 million in 2025-26 and $34 million in 2026-27. He becomes an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2027. 

Poole has career averages of 15.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists with the Warriors and Wizards. He has the worst effective field goal percentage in the NBA this season at 46.6% and the fourth-worst true shooting percentage at 50.9%. 

It will be intriguing to see if the Wizards try to trade Poole this summer. The front office will likely have to part ways with multiple draft picks to get off Poole’s contract since the Milwaukee native has played so badly this season.