Draymond Green Comes Off As Complete Villain In Jordan Poole Feud After Denying Teammate Chance To Make Peace
End up on Draymond Green's bad side, and you may be stuck there forever.
In the aftermath of Green's infamous punching of former teammate Jordan Poole, 24, many wondered if the Warriors could ever return to dynasty form after suffering such a tear in the locker room.
Green, seemingly, got fed up with the young guard's cockiness amid bigger expectations and improved production, leading to an in-practice feud in Oct. 2022 that resulted in Draymond knocking Poole down with a punch.
It was the shot heard around the NBA.
Draymond Green Rejected Finding Harmony With Jordan Poole
In a new story from The Ringer centered on Jordan Poole's first season with the Wizards — via trade with Golden State — new details revealed that people around Green and Poole tried to mend the strained relationship. Even head coach Steve Kerr tried convincing Green to go to dinner with Poole to show there was no bad blood.
Green declined the suggestions; the relationship between Draymond and Jordan Poole continued deteriorating; and now, Poole plays for a different team.
Once heralded as the next great guard in Golden State, Poole saw his stock in Golden State crumble after taking on a team vet. In his final season in a Warriors jersey, Jordan Poole averaged 18.5 points, 4.0 assists and 3.4 rebounds (76 games).
The Warriors sided with a business decision: keeping Draymond happy. Green might've well known he had the upper hand all along, refusing to meet with Poole or mend the association.
To this day, Poole dodges interview questions regarding Draymond Green, keeping his head on a swivel for anyone trying to spark up controversy.
Time Will Tell Whether GSW Should've Appeased Draymond Green...
Golden State finished sixth in the Western Conference with a sub-par 44-38 regular-season record. The Warriors suffered a second-round exit against the Los Angeles Lakers (4-2).
The Ringer story also suggested that the NBA's lack of discipline on Green, along with the Warriors' slap on the wrist, enticed Green to not make peace.
The team let go of Poole less than a year after signing him to a four-year, $140 million contract extension, trading him for an elderly Chris Paul in a three-team trade.
Time will tell whether they made the right decision by trading Poole or regret not stepping in to keep the harmony in the locker room.
The players know they don't like each other, and they're proceeding as such. It's safe to expect some fireworks between Green and Poole once they reunite on the hardwood for a contest. Fans of the feud will receive an early Christmas gift when the Golden State Warriors take on the Washington Wizards on Dec. 22.