Even hell yes! The facial expressions alone, the flashes of brilliance passing, shooting, and dribbling, the staggering career turnaround...whatever happened last year, I'm glad he was a Warrior.
When I hear "Heeeeeeeee's Baaaaaa-aack!" and Klay is sitting there with his mouth wide open, just feeling the feels, I still get emotional. So much love at that moment.
Somehow this reminded me that pre-injury Klay would always come back from the offseason with a useful wrinkle to his game. After the long injury recovery AND the "I'm scared to play" offseason of last year, I'm getting hyped to see what he's been working on.
The photo went viral and led some fans to believe that Toscano-Anderson and Bazemore had signed deals to return to the Warriors. However, the Chronicle confirmed Thursday that is not the case.
Can’t we do better than JTA and Bazemore? I don’t want either one but, at this point, I guess beggars can’t be choosers. I feel like we’re left with the crumbs that other teams don’t want.
We're talking about a spot for the #14 guy so most teams are looking to fill that spot with crumbs. I'm fine with JTA there - he knows the system, hustles, stays ready for when his number is called, and he deserves to be in the Bay. Not as keen on Baze, just because he's so erratic and doesn't play as big as JTA.
Would rather see Queta, but I don't expect them to offer him a full spot, maybe a camp invite or a two way contract at best. C'mon MDJ, let's get that big guy in the house.
Perhaps your expectations are a tad high? We’re talking about the very back end of a VERY deep rotation, not to mention that the team has promising young guys who’ll be a priority for getting garbage time minutes. Saric made sense because of the fit and need, but it’s hard to imagine too many established NBA players coming here for a minimum deal. Even if you’re ring-chasing vet, what fun is getting a ring if you’re not even part of it?
I’m fine with JTA. He’s a proven cultural fit with a strong connection to the community, works hard, knows the system, happy to do dirty work and won’t bitch about a bunch of “DNP - coach’s decisions”. Sounds pretty ideal to me.
I'm feeling like JTA is probably going to eventually get the 14th spot unless someone like Gallo becomes available or a FA REALLY wows them in TC (doubt it)
Yeah, someone on reddit was posting a 2019 picture with a bunch of unrecognized names mixed in there. Seems like they put a nameplate on a locker for everybody that comes through... a nice touch, if you ask me
I voted #yes even though my rational brain spent a lot of time weighing pros & cons. But: home grown, did the hard work to advance from junk to major contributor, continued the work even when the team sucked, key part of a chip run. Plenty for the yes vote. And I enjoyed all the crazy faces, though maybe was getting bored of them by the end.
But I’m delighted that he’s gone. I will hold onto the good memories and hope for some JP amusement in the future. Who knows, he might even decide/learn to play D just out of spite.
I have to admit -- I loved NBA champion Nick Young's tenure with the Warriors, and Poole kind of took that similar attitude but paired it with far more impactful performance. Things kind of nosedived at the end there, so I feel the same way -- I'm feeling a bit relieved he's gone, but you can never take away that joy (and results) he brought, even if they were brief. Hopefully he can get back to developing an upward trajectory and still has a lot more joyful moments to share with fans in the future.
Only Anderson Varejão (#18) days until training camp! What's that? You're not familiar with Anderson? Well dear Warriors fan, stop practicing your half-court shots for a minute, sit here on the bench, and let me tell you about a time before you were born when giants roamed the sidelines. Imagine having not just Anderson (6'11"), but also Bogut (7'), Ezeli (6'11"), and also Mo Speights (6'10") and James Michael McAdoo (6'9"), all on the same Warriors team. It was a time when Coach Kerr insisted on playing big men, even when it was clear that a smaller lineup was more effective, and when he would play the giant from Brazil though his best days were clearly behind him. Fans from Oakland to San Francisco would clench their fists, grit their teeth, and then scream at their TVs, "Oh why, Steve, why? Why are you so stubborn and inflexible? Will you never play a line-up without a traditional big man?" But Coach Kerr did not listen.
And so, one summer, after the Golden Warriors had been vanquished in a painful final battle by the cruel king from the East, a dejected fan happened upon a monkey's paw, and was granted one wish. He wished that he wouldn't have to watch the Warriors big men getting cooked by smaller players, and it was granted, but as always happens in these fables, the wish became twisted. Soon, all the big men faded away, Andrew, Festus, James, Mo, and even new bigs like JaVale, Zaza, Willie, and Wise, until only Looney and occasional 6'10" stretch bigs were left. The age of giants had ended, and so had Coach Kerr's use of true big men. And so today, fans from Manila to Oakland to San Francisco will clench their fists, grit their teeth, and then scream at their TVs, "Oh why, Steve, why? Why are you so stubborn and inflexible? Will you never play a line-up with a traditional big man?" But Coach Kerr still does not listen.
And remember, dear fan, if you happen to find a magic item, and you think you'd like for Draymond to control his emotions, or for Klay to stop hunting shots, or for that non-defense-playing Poole to get traded for an established veteran whom you will surely love as a Warrior at once, well, maybe think twice before making that wish.
No. He left the team under murky circumstances, was a big part of the most controversial off court moment since Spree choked PJ, and had a lousy last season after getting paid.
I might misunderstand your point, but it's kinda wild to say he's a "big part" of an instance when he got clocked. It's true in the same way that anyone abused "play a big part" in their abuse, no?
It's quite a different situation indeed. Until Draymond committed a physical assault, JP's contribution was trending to being "a big part of a common little shoving match", and nothing unique.
Because he was one of us during the best championship run of the dynasty.
Because of what Steph said: "Now that the trade is actually final, I felt like I needed to come on here and just say - JP how much I appreciated the four years, brother. You're a champion. You grew up right in front of everybody's face... I can't wait to see you blossom, big fella. I can't wait to see you shine in your own situation. Just looking forward to competing, obviously with being a fan of everything you become. Good luck to you."
and what Klay said: "It hurts to see Jordan go... That's the nature of the beast that is this business. JP was homegrown, I saw him put the work in. I saw him go 2-15 in a game, but then he would be in the dungeon after... So Jordan is forever going to be cherished in the Warriors lore, just for what he did and helped bring us back to where we needed to go, and I know he's going to do great things in Washington... That's like Steph and I's little bro."
Gonna vote a reluctant #YES, but ultimately we don't have enough information on what went down before and after the punch. Did JP really 'ask for it' to the extent that the team failed to censure Dray after the punch? Did Jordan really dog it intentionally in order to get traded to a place where he could be a starter, and hence tank the last season? We don't know, but his teammates likely do. Ideally, the decision on HWFL status should be delegated to Steph and Klay (not Dray for obvious reasons). FWIW, they did hang out with JP in the offseason for a bit, so that makes me think their votes might also lean into the YES direction.
Voting is running close on this poll... weighted results are currently 71.4% yes, with 75% needed for HWFL status and the accompanying 5% discount at the DNHQ store.
A short reminder that the article spells out carefully exactly how to comment-vote and there are too many comments to make exceptions.
I have a feeling this is one of the votes that will change significantly over time. The playoffs failure is so very fresh in people’s minds and JP’s role in it feels a lot more recent and critical than his role in the prior years ‘chip team. My guess is that the dislike we’ll mellow out with more time (and ‘chips)
#YES . . . but . . . I have to say "yes" based on my prior personal qualifications for the award. If I compare Poole to say, Otto Porter, who I was more than fine with being an HWL, I have to be consistent and say yes to Poole, who contributed significantly to a championship, and who over three years moved from a draft afterthought to a guy people have at least talked about as having NBA lead guard potential, illustrates Warrior-type qualities.
But . . . I don't feel it. I just can't see myself looking back fondly on Poole 20 years from now like I will on someone like Leandro Barbossa, Shaun Livingston, or Gary Payton. Poole never seemed quite to click to me - his defense was sporadic at best, and too often he tried to default to Curryesque skill sets he just did not have. In my feels, he tends to slide to far into Oubre' territory, and he had no real answer when the NBA figured out how to defend his primary offensive weapons. I like Poole, and hope he had tremendous success. But for whatever reason, while consistency with my personal criteria requires "Yes," my heart says "No."
Feel like JP will be thought of somewhere in that group when we look back on him… likely somewhere below the top guys and above the bottom ones? (Lester Q could rise, tho…)
Key player with some thrilling performances on the championship team. Worked his way from being someone who looked like they wouldn’t stick in the league to blossoming and dealing with huge star level expectations, yet falling short of them. With some distance from last year I think it will become clearer and less controversial. But it’s also very reasonable to take the other side, as the balance of his career happens elsewhere.
Abstain... It really depends on what went down with Draymond and the rest of the team, and unfortunately we'll never know! If we did I think this would be either an emphatic yes or a tentative no.
I'm having a tough time deciding on this one. Complicated feelings about his tenure and contributions to the team and how much they really mean.
On the one hand, I respect his improvements from early in his career, his impressive finishing ability, free throw accuracy, and so on. I'll miss his goofy faces and that stuff too. And his attitude, publicly, has been pretty good about various stuff up to and including being publicly punched by a teammate. I think, in general, if he's in a game with no consequences for us, I'll probably root in his favor.
But this last season put a big damper on my respect for him. First, his play was worse than the last season in almost every respect. I don't really blame him for being called out by the refs for palming constantly, but between that and his dependably awful crunch time turnovers, it was painful to watch him sometimes. Combine that with being picked on on defense more than ever and shooting not as well on his typical, incorrigibly risky shot selection, and Poole ran through a bunch of goodwill and patience.
And, I'm not sure to what extent the rumors of his attitude problems are accurate or just people blaming him for stuff to make his departure more palatable, but it makes enough sense and matches with over stuff we've seen that it's hard to dismiss.
Ultimately, I think either his best years as a player are still to come, in which case he'll probably be a Wizard for life more than a Warrior, or he'll rapidly flame out and prove the haters right. So that makes him a #NO from me.
#YES of course.
For his part in getting No. 4 for Steph
#YES
Even hell yes! The facial expressions alone, the flashes of brilliance passing, shooting, and dribbling, the staggering career turnaround...whatever happened last year, I'm glad he was a Warrior.
11 times Klay Thompson shocked the basketball world | Golden State Warriors: https://youtu.be/aXuNRoOf5Tk?si=XO_Jxm946gfS8gdK
Abaddon, thanks for a compelling reminder of Klay's greatness! 👏
When I hear "Heeeeeeeee's Baaaaaa-aack!" and Klay is sitting there with his mouth wide open, just feeling the feels, I still get emotional. So much love at that moment.
Somehow this reminded me that pre-injury Klay would always come back from the offseason with a useful wrinkle to his game. After the long injury recovery AND the "I'm scared to play" offseason of last year, I'm getting hyped to see what he's been working on.
Thanks for upping the Eeyore-ness...my 3pts from Aexander Mattison wasn't cutting it tonight.
Apparently, Kent Bazemore and Juan Toscano Andersons names were spotted as having been added to the Warriors locker room. Roster Spot N.14 and 15?
https://warriorswire.usatoday.com/2023/09/14/eagle-eyed-fans-spot-potential-new-warriors-addition-via-instagram-story/
The photo went viral and led some fans to believe that Toscano-Anderson and Bazemore had signed deals to return to the Warriors. However, the Chronicle confirmed Thursday that is not the case.
https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/warriors/article/whoa-warriors-fans-talking-practice-locker-room-18366949.php
Can’t we do better than JTA and Bazemore? I don’t want either one but, at this point, I guess beggars can’t be choosers. I feel like we’re left with the crumbs that other teams don’t want.
Agreed, they can do better
We're talking about a spot for the #14 guy so most teams are looking to fill that spot with crumbs. I'm fine with JTA there - he knows the system, hustles, stays ready for when his number is called, and he deserves to be in the Bay. Not as keen on Baze, just because he's so erratic and doesn't play as big as JTA.
Would rather see Queta, but I don't expect them to offer him a full spot, maybe a camp invite or a two way contract at best. C'mon MDJ, let's get that big guy in the house.
We still have two two-ways left, and we need another big. Queta on a two-way makes a lot of sense.
Perhaps your expectations are a tad high? We’re talking about the very back end of a VERY deep rotation, not to mention that the team has promising young guys who’ll be a priority for getting garbage time minutes. Saric made sense because of the fit and need, but it’s hard to imagine too many established NBA players coming here for a minimum deal. Even if you’re ring-chasing vet, what fun is getting a ring if you’re not even part of it?
I’m fine with JTA. He’s a proven cultural fit with a strong connection to the community, works hard, knows the system, happy to do dirty work and won’t bitch about a bunch of “DNP - coach’s decisions”. Sounds pretty ideal to me.
My expectations are always high 😩
I hope not. JTA maybe but we can do better than Bazemore.
I'm feeling like JTA is probably going to eventually get the 14th spot unless someone like Gallo becomes available or a FA REALLY wows them in TC (doubt it)
Yeah, someone on reddit was posting a 2019 picture with a bunch of unrecognized names mixed in there. Seems like they put a nameplate on a locker for everybody that comes through... a nice touch, if you ask me
I voted #yes even though my rational brain spent a lot of time weighing pros & cons. But: home grown, did the hard work to advance from junk to major contributor, continued the work even when the team sucked, key part of a chip run. Plenty for the yes vote. And I enjoyed all the crazy faces, though maybe was getting bored of them by the end.
But I’m delighted that he’s gone. I will hold onto the good memories and hope for some JP amusement in the future. Who knows, he might even decide/learn to play D just out of spite.
I have to admit -- I loved NBA champion Nick Young's tenure with the Warriors, and Poole kind of took that similar attitude but paired it with far more impactful performance. Things kind of nosedived at the end there, so I feel the same way -- I'm feeling a bit relieved he's gone, but you can never take away that joy (and results) he brought, even if they were brief. Hopefully he can get back to developing an upward trajectory and still has a lot more joyful moments to share with fans in the future.
I still have a lounge chair beside Poole Party Island
I spy with my little eye Moses Moody and Trayce Jackson Davis at Steph's NBA mini camp.
Where did you spy this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rho-sJ9GfTI
Azzi Fudd sighting as well :)
Thanks. I didn’t realize it was this video.
And Podziemski
He’s such a smooth shooter. Is lay up was the same. No waste of motion.
Which article? Do you mean the DNHQ write up two days ago? Or some article somewhere else?
Only Anderson Varejão (#18) days until training camp! What's that? You're not familiar with Anderson? Well dear Warriors fan, stop practicing your half-court shots for a minute, sit here on the bench, and let me tell you about a time before you were born when giants roamed the sidelines. Imagine having not just Anderson (6'11"), but also Bogut (7'), Ezeli (6'11"), and also Mo Speights (6'10") and James Michael McAdoo (6'9"), all on the same Warriors team. It was a time when Coach Kerr insisted on playing big men, even when it was clear that a smaller lineup was more effective, and when he would play the giant from Brazil though his best days were clearly behind him. Fans from Oakland to San Francisco would clench their fists, grit their teeth, and then scream at their TVs, "Oh why, Steve, why? Why are you so stubborn and inflexible? Will you never play a line-up without a traditional big man?" But Coach Kerr did not listen.
And so, one summer, after the Golden Warriors had been vanquished in a painful final battle by the cruel king from the East, a dejected fan happened upon a monkey's paw, and was granted one wish. He wished that he wouldn't have to watch the Warriors big men getting cooked by smaller players, and it was granted, but as always happens in these fables, the wish became twisted. Soon, all the big men faded away, Andrew, Festus, James, Mo, and even new bigs like JaVale, Zaza, Willie, and Wise, until only Looney and occasional 6'10" stretch bigs were left. The age of giants had ended, and so had Coach Kerr's use of true big men. And so today, fans from Manila to Oakland to San Francisco will clench their fists, grit their teeth, and then scream at their TVs, "Oh why, Steve, why? Why are you so stubborn and inflexible? Will you never play a line-up with a traditional big man?" But Coach Kerr still does not listen.
Did it really happen that way? Who can say? time passes and our memories grow dim. But maybe we can see some glimpses from the age of giants of Anderson Varejão: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhzLRfmjZ3s and of a healthy Festus Ezeli: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP8wxqU_puM
And remember, dear fan, if you happen to find a magic item, and you think you'd like for Draymond to control his emotions, or for Klay to stop hunting shots, or for that non-defense-playing Poole to get traded for an established veteran whom you will surely love as a Warrior at once, well, maybe think twice before making that wish.
Magnificent
I kept thinking this could not get any better, but alas I was wrong. Beautiful.
This was absolutely epic. Thx.
I wish I could like this 100 times.
Yes, he's homegrown and was here for four years and was a key part of us becoming a champion.
No. He left the team under murky circumstances, was a big part of the most controversial off court moment since Spree choked PJ, and had a lousy last season after getting paid.
I might misunderstand your point, but it's kinda wild to say he's a "big part" of an instance when he got clocked. It's true in the same way that anyone abused "play a big part" in their abuse, no?
I'm totally with you on the abuse part, but I think this is a completely different situation.
It's quite a different situation indeed. Until Draymond committed a physical assault, JP's contribution was trending to being "a big part of a common little shoving match", and nothing unique.
Okay! I'll agree to disagree. I feel like it's a difference in magnitude, not kind personally, but this has been sufficiently discussed
I'm cool with that
I think it was, by about a foot or two.
#YES
Because he was one of us during the best championship run of the dynasty.
Because of what Steph said: "Now that the trade is actually final, I felt like I needed to come on here and just say - JP how much I appreciated the four years, brother. You're a champion. You grew up right in front of everybody's face... I can't wait to see you blossom, big fella. I can't wait to see you shine in your own situation. Just looking forward to competing, obviously with being a fan of everything you become. Good luck to you."
and what Klay said: "It hurts to see Jordan go... That's the nature of the beast that is this business. JP was homegrown, I saw him put the work in. I saw him go 2-15 in a game, but then he would be in the dungeon after... So Jordan is forever going to be cherished in the Warriors lore, just for what he did and helped bring us back to where we needed to go, and I know he's going to do great things in Washington... That's like Steph and I's little bro."
Gonna vote a reluctant #YES, but ultimately we don't have enough information on what went down before and after the punch. Did JP really 'ask for it' to the extent that the team failed to censure Dray after the punch? Did Jordan really dog it intentionally in order to get traded to a place where he could be a starter, and hence tank the last season? We don't know, but his teammates likely do. Ideally, the decision on HWFL status should be delegated to Steph and Klay (not Dray for obvious reasons). FWIW, they did hang out with JP in the offseason for a bit, so that makes me think their votes might also lean into the YES direction.
Voting is running close on this poll... weighted results are currently 71.4% yes, with 75% needed for HWFL status and the accompanying 5% discount at the DNHQ store.
A short reminder that the article spells out carefully exactly how to comment-vote and there are too many comments to make exceptions.
I have a feeling this is one of the votes that will change significantly over time. The playoffs failure is so very fresh in people’s minds and JP’s role in it feels a lot more recent and critical than his role in the prior years ‘chip team. My guess is that the dislike we’ll mellow out with more time (and ‘chips)
#YES . . . but . . . I have to say "yes" based on my prior personal qualifications for the award. If I compare Poole to say, Otto Porter, who I was more than fine with being an HWL, I have to be consistent and say yes to Poole, who contributed significantly to a championship, and who over three years moved from a draft afterthought to a guy people have at least talked about as having NBA lead guard potential, illustrates Warrior-type qualities.
But . . . I don't feel it. I just can't see myself looking back fondly on Poole 20 years from now like I will on someone like Leandro Barbossa, Shaun Livingston, or Gary Payton. Poole never seemed quite to click to me - his defense was sporadic at best, and too often he tried to default to Curryesque skill sets he just did not have. In my feels, he tends to slide to far into Oubre' territory, and he had no real answer when the NBA figured out how to defend his primary offensive weapons. I like Poole, and hope he had tremendous success. But for whatever reason, while consistency with my personal criteria requires "Yes," my heart says "No."
Mitch Richmond
Jason Richardson
Latrell Sprewell
Sleepy Floyd
Monta Ellis
Gilbert Arenas
World B Free
Leandro Barbosa
Larry Hughes
Nick Young
John Starks
Lester Quiñones
Ryan Rollins
Jamal Crawford
Jordan Crawford
Feel like JP will be thought of somewhere in that group when we look back on him… likely somewhere below the top guys and above the bottom ones? (Lester Q could rise, tho…)
Kwe-no-ness will rise for sure. But the Kings announcers will never be able to pronounce his name... Mark Jones may learn tho.
#YES
Key player with some thrilling performances on the championship team. Worked his way from being someone who looked like they wouldn’t stick in the league to blossoming and dealing with huge star level expectations, yet falling short of them. With some distance from last year I think it will become clearer and less controversial. But it’s also very reasonable to take the other side, as the balance of his career happens elsewhere.
Abstain... It really depends on what went down with Draymond and the rest of the team, and unfortunately we'll never know! If we did I think this would be either an emphatic yes or a tentative no.
I'm having a tough time deciding on this one. Complicated feelings about his tenure and contributions to the team and how much they really mean.
On the one hand, I respect his improvements from early in his career, his impressive finishing ability, free throw accuracy, and so on. I'll miss his goofy faces and that stuff too. And his attitude, publicly, has been pretty good about various stuff up to and including being publicly punched by a teammate. I think, in general, if he's in a game with no consequences for us, I'll probably root in his favor.
But this last season put a big damper on my respect for him. First, his play was worse than the last season in almost every respect. I don't really blame him for being called out by the refs for palming constantly, but between that and his dependably awful crunch time turnovers, it was painful to watch him sometimes. Combine that with being picked on on defense more than ever and shooting not as well on his typical, incorrigibly risky shot selection, and Poole ran through a bunch of goodwill and patience.
And, I'm not sure to what extent the rumors of his attitude problems are accurate or just people blaming him for stuff to make his departure more palatable, but it makes enough sense and matches with over stuff we've seen that it's hard to dismiss.
Ultimately, I think either his best years as a player are still to come, in which case he'll probably be a Wizard for life more than a Warrior, or he'll rapidly flame out and prove the haters right. So that makes him a #NO from me.