165 Comments

Great write-up, thank you. Cathartic in a way, at least insofar as my Dubs fandom.

I remember the mouthguard toss, but I forgot Steph still went to greet him right after the game. They've been trying to making it work, but by season's end they knew it just wasn't. If a team with championship aspirations needs to be a shared venture by the team members, last season was splintered by too many competing individual aspirations and agendas.

I appreciate JP's growth as a huge part of the post-KD Warrior's journey. A little patience with his ignominious rookie season was richly rewarded with his vital contributions to the '22 chip season. But while it's a shame things turned out this way, I think it was time for all parties to get a fresh start. Farewell to the Warrior's prodigal splash-son and rooting for him whenever he isn't playing against the Dubs.

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I didn't watch a ton of Summer League, but the sleepery, I'm pissed/scared he's on another team guy is Hunter Tyson for the Nuggets. He did not look like an unathletic shooter. He looked like a polished, athletic off ball mover who needs to be accounted for on plays. He looked like he has combo forward size. He was a really good rebounder in college so it's not just the shooting/offense.

A guy like that is such a great fit next to Jokic. Think they may have just landed another plug and play rotation guy.

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Enjoying Klay-ters vs. Klay-thiests tourney. Like a summer league of social media feeds.

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Stephen Curry says new doc ‘Underrated’ goes beyond basketball | TODAY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEIjgFVvZys

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Great retrospective. Poole has had such a complicated career: from one of the worst players in the league (seriously, his rookie year was godawful) to halfway recent, well better than decent, and then, this last year, mostly miserable.

Poole's work ethic was legendary... until this season, when he was worse than the previous year at almost everything (although he did get a bit better at being a facilitator). In some ways, so much worse. Sorry defense, carrying violations, painfully consistent late-clock turnovers, and a diminishing playoff role as a result.

Was the result more because of the bag, the punch, or about even? We'll never really know, but hopefully being on a new team now gives him an opportunity to reset and be the player he wants to be...

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Jul 18·edited Jul 18

I don't know man, whenever I watch Whitmore he just looks like a talented iso scorer who has no instincts for playing team basketball. I can see a path where he becomes a really good version of a player type I generally don't like. Haven't watched the whole game but since I've seen watching he hasn't passed the ball yet.

EDIT: Referring to the Summer League championship game against the Cavs.

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Jul 18Liked by Eric Apricot, Daniel Hardee

Daniel,

Very well laid out article. Lots of things to ponder.

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https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1681110372877475842?s=46&t=uin-bDCpAMkWQkABBJ4tFA

Jerome Robinson returns to inevitably be cut when the regular season starts.

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Jul 18Liked by Daniel Hardee

What a great write up. Thank you.

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I think that the Poole debacle puts the lie to Joe Lacob denying that there was a dual strategy to A) Win again now and B) Meld Wiseman, Kuminga, Poole and Moody into the 9 or 10 man playoff rotation. Bob Meyers didn't really agree that those dual goals could be accomplished, nor did he want to give the Lacob's control of the roster. Poole never bought into the core culture. He helped win in 2022, but the contract extension made him believe that he was more important than he was. And his ego did the rest. He was just rude and disrespectful. And stupid. Query: Who did Poole think was going to relinquish a starting slot, so that the worst defender and the most selfish offensive player could start? The punch, the contract, the Lacob interference, the general thing of many young players making more from their shoe contracts than their team contracts results in not smart kids not knowing who to listen to and respect. Entourages don't help. Poole was ego driven and not very smart on or off the court. Total train wreck. One could blame everyone or no one. Things happen.

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In team sports I’ll always prefer a draft horse to a show pony. I remained suspicious of Poole’s future even with the Championship and if I remember correctly Kerr reduced his minutes as they went deeper into it. His lack of discernible development on D after “getting his bag” cinched it for me. I do wish him success in the NBA, however.

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OT: Lamar Stephens was cut by the Spurs (I guess to make room for Cameron Payne?). Played the last three years with Cleveland. Not going to quicken any pulses, I'd guess, but he's occasionally caught my eye as a solid high-effort, end-of-rotation wing. An option for the last roster spot, maybe. (Or is he just a version of JTA, but without the hometown vibes and comfort in Kerr's system?)

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Jul 17Liked by Daniel Hardee

I loved Jordan during his time with us. I'm also not too disappointed that he is gone. JP was a great draft pick at #28 and would go much higher in a 2019 re-draft were it to be done today. I'm glad he earned his bag while he was with us, and I'm also glad that GSW will not be the ones responsible for paying him because I don't think his game (and his desires) mesh with this team's goals in the short term. In DC he will have more control of the offense and I'm sure he will respond with a dynamic year of scoring the ball. Anyone who has read my posts in the pasts about former players on this team who contributed to titles and my high regard for them, and JP is no different. I see him as big of a part of this dynasty's story as guys like David West and LB. Good luck, young man.

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Jul 17·edited Jul 17

Seeing these clips just makes me more certain trading Poole was the right call.

....

Draymond clearly loses his shit in the worst of situations and Poole clearly has too much youthful pride to help cultivate a championship culture around him. Maybe he grows up or maybe he doesn't. But it's best to split draymond and Poole.

Draymond clearly messes up but he strikes as a genuinely good person at heart.

Or maybe this all means I've never been punched hard enough and don't know what I'm talking about

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I think in 2019, people incorrectly pointed to the Draymond argument as the reason KD left when the real issue was probably more that they didn't play the style of basketball he wanted to play.

I think in 2023, people incorrectly point to the Draymond punch as the reason Poole left when the real issue was probably more that there was no starting role available for him.

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The initial issue is why tf is Draymond so aggressively punching this small 23 year old, he could have easily just chin checked him n taught him a lesson, he hit that man like he hated him.

Then there's barely any punishment on Draymond which was super weird, I would have been arrested.

Then because the lack of punishment and awkwardness throughout the whole season Kerr let's JP(and klay again) play however tf he wants with no accountability for defense or bad shot selection, Yea it was a weird season...

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