Poole continues to struggle in Washington.
The Washington Wizards defeated the Charlotte Hornets 132-116 in the 2023-2024 NBA regular season at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Monday (Jan. 9).
Kyle Kuzma led the way with 33 points, nine rebounds, and four assists, while the Wizards got solid contributions from their bench, including Delon Wright (18 points, three assists), Cory Kispert (12 points, three rebounds), 온라인카지노 Danilo Gallinari (18 points, four rebounds), and Landry Shamet (15 points, two assists).
Despite the complete victory, the Wizards still have a concern. Jordan Poole’s struggles. In 20 minutes of action, Poole managed just 11 points and two rebounds. The problem was his shooting efficiency. Poole made just 3 of 12 shots from the field. He took five shots from three-point range, making one. That’s a dismal 25 percent from the field, and it’s not like he wasn’t looking out for his teammates. Poole had one assist and one turnover, and he wasn’t even a lubricant on offense. In fact, the offense seemed to flow more organically with Poole on the court than without him.
This summer, the Wizards announced a rebuild and let go of franchise stars Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis. Beal’s departure was particularly shocking. He was one of Washington’s one-club guys and one of the NBA’s best scoring machines. The player Washington brought back in exchange for Beal is Poole. Poole had one of his worst seasons with the Golden State Warriors when he had a complete mental breakdown following a pre-season altercation with Draymond Green. Golden State re-signed Green to a four-year, $100 million deal after the season and sent Poole away in a trade to select Green, who became a free agent.
Poole was certainly a compelling player. Poole started for Golden State in Curry’s absence in the 2022-2023 season, averaging nearly 25 points per game. Despite his ups and downs, Poole’s scoring ability was an undeniable strength. Poole wasn’t just a 3-point shooter who relied on his 3-point shot, he was a scorer who could attack the rim and penetrate.
But there was no place for Poole in Golden State’s complex system. Golden State is a system that requires you to be unselfish, pass well, and have a good BQ. Poole was not that kind of player. His role in Golden State was strictly as a sixth man, not a starter, and yet he was able to help Golden State win the 2022 NBA Finals.
Many fans and pundits were excited to see what Poole could do in Washington. Despite his weaknesses on defense, many thought he would have a breakout season, as he was a solid scorer when he was in the starting lineup. But so far, Poole’s performance has been disappointing.
In seven games of the 2023-2024 season, Poole is averaging 17.4 points, 3.3 assists, and 41% shooting from the field in 27 minutes. His minutes are down from the 30 he played in the 2022-2023 season with Golden State. His field goal percentage is also down slightly from 43% to 41%, meaning that Poole hasn’t gotten more opportunities in Washington, but rather has seen his minutes decrease due to poor play.
This season, Poole has been a replay of his bad days in Golden State. Poor shot selection, turnovers, and a tendency to look out for his own points instead of making plays to help his teammates. On top of that, his defense, which has always been a weakness, is a problem. He’s not living up to the expectations of the player they brought in to replace Beal, who was an ace for Washington.
The good news is that the Wizards are a team that doesn’t care about their current performance. They’re a team that can give Poole plenty of opportunities and time. On the flip side, if Poole can’t capitalize on his opportunities, even in Washington, he’ll have even less of a chance in the NBA.
