Nothing has gone right for the Washington Wizards during the 2023-24 NBA regular season. Finally accepting the harsh reality of needing a rebuild during the offseason, analysts and fans knew some difficulties would lie ahead. But, not even the most pessimistic of people could have seen these struggles coming.
Washington is one of two teams in the NBA that have yet to win double-digit games. They are 9-46 on the season, clinching their sixth straight losing season before the All-Star Break even rolled around.
A big reason for their struggles has been the performance of Jordan Poole. Acquired in the offseason from the Golden State Warriors in the Chris Paul trade, it would not be a stretch to say Poole has been one of the worst players in the NBA this season.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Jordan Poole & Washington Wizards Updates
Poole is averaging 15.7 points, 3.6 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 29.2 minutes per game. He has been painfully inefficient this season, shooting 39.6 percent overall from the field and 30.4 percent from 3-point range.
It is hard to comprehend how this is the same player who was a key contributor to the Warriors winning the NBA Finals only two years ago. But, Poole looks more like the overmatched rookie, who was the least efficient player in the NBA that season, than the steady performer who was stepping into the lineup in place of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson and producing at a high level.
Just how bad have things gotten? During an appearance on 95.7 The Game, ESPN analyst Bobby Marks revealed a brutal take on Poole. According to Marks, many people believe Poole has the worst contract in the league.
“A lot of teams are calling the Jordan Poole contract one of the worst deals in the NBA right now,” said Marks.
Certainly not helping his value is that the Wizards have mercifully moved him to the bench. After starting the first 52 games of the season that he played in, Poole came off the bench in their first game out of the All-Star Break against the Denver Nuggets.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Jordan Poole & Washington Wizards Updates
It was more of the same with the second unit, as Poole scored 18 points on 4-of-17 from the field, buoyed mostly by his 7-of-9 from the charity stripe. He had only one rebound, one assist and two steals to round out his stat line.
Rumors were swirling earlier in the season that the Wizards were looking to move Poole in a trade. They are going to be hard-pressed to move that contract without attaching assets to him as Poole has regressed mightily in his first season away from the Warriors.
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