Redrafting the 2019 NBA Draft: Injury concerns and flawed greatness

Jordan Poole was integral to Golden State’s championship run last season, emerging as arguably the NBA’s most dynamic sixth man. There have been noticeable growing pains to start the new league year, but it’s best to not let 20-odd games color your opinion too much. Poole’s electricity on the offensive end absolutely crackles.

That unfortunate practice session with Draymond Green aside, the Warriors have provided the perfect incubation space for Poole. He gets to learn first-hand from Stephen Curry, seeing how preparation leads to production. Curry’s unique talent for off-ball movement has rubbed off on Poole, making him much more than your average shot-thirsty bench guard.

Poole does a lot of his damage on the ball, torching defenses with herky-jerky handles and slick footwork. But he’s also capable of traversing screens, keeping the defense occupied off the ball and punishing the slightest lapse in attention. He’s an elite volume shooter who can hit shots from every angle — on the move, pulling up, or simply catch-and-shoot.

The next step in Poole’s development is two-fold: he has to get better on defense and he has to get better at keeping teammates involved. He’s much more of a black hole than Curry, which has been especially problematic early in this season. Poole draws a ton of attention with his shooting gravity. Now, he has to learn to weaponize it as a playmaker for others.