Warriors sign Jordan Poole to a four-year, $123 million contract extension

The Golden State Warriors signed guard Jordan Poole to a four-year, $123 million extension that could reach $140 million with incentives, according to a report by Anthony Slater of The Athletic. ESPN’s Arian Wojnarowski first reported the deal early on Saturday morning but implied that the deal guaranteed Poole $140 million.

The news puts an end to any speculation that Poole will be signing elsewhere anytime soon. The two sides had until 3:00 PM Pacific Time on Monday to come to an agreement. Otherwise, the Warriors and Poole would not have been allowed to sign an extension until after the season. By then, Poole would have been well-positioned to enter the restricted free-agent market to see what offers other teams would have made. Now, both sides can avoid that drama.

It’s been a wild ride for Poole since he was drafted with the 28th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Poole struggled mightily early in his rookie season, although he finished the season strong after a stint in the G-League. Still, even with that improved stretch, he shot just .333/.279/.798 on the season.

His second year came with significant improvements and once again, featured an impressive second half after a stint in the G-League. Poole was arguably the second-best player on the Warriors during the closing stretch that season, although they fell just short of reaching the playoffs. Still, he finished the year averaging 12.0 points per game with far better .432/.351/.882 shooting line.

Last season, Poole went from an intriguing young player to one of the best young guards in the NBA. Starting the majority of the Warriors games while Klay Thompson worked his way back from injury. Poole averaged 18.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game alongside improved efficiency. He shot 55% from two-point range, 36.4% from three, and a league-best 92.5% from the free-throw line. In the playoffs, Poole was one of the Warriors' most consistent scorers in their path to an NBA title.

Poole has his limitations defensively, but the Warriors have seen him make such significant improvements early in his career, it’s easy to bet on his upside. Poole turned 23 in June and is just scratching the surface of his offensive potential. Few players in the league have shown his ability to create space with the ball in his hands, finish at the rim, and knock down threes. He’s also taken noticeable steps forward as a passer.

The Warriors will face some difficult decisions over the next two years as they try to deal with the NBA’s costly luxury tax penalties. However, it’s clear that general manager Bob Myers had no intention of giving Poole an opportunity to land elsewhere. Now, the dynamic combo guard is under contract with the team through 2026-27 season.