In late June, the Golden State Warriors pulled off one of the biggest trades of the "Steph Curry Era," when they traded away the third member of the "Splash Brothers," Jordan Poole (24), to the Washington Wizards in exchange for their long-time nemesis in the Western Conference, Chris Paul (38). Although several pundits questioned the logic behind the move, it did help the aging dynasty clear enough cap space to retain their defensive anchor, Draymond Green. Considered by many to be the heart and soul of the Golden State Warriors, Draymond famously punched Jordan Poole in the face during the 2022 off-season. The on-camera incident caused ripple effects in the team's locker room and a rift among players that Poole was reportedly unwilling to help resolve.
On Thursday, the 2022 NBA Finals MVP, Steph Curry, took to Instagram to thank Jordan Poole for a stint with the team that included their most recent championship run. (you can watch that clip here)
"Yo, so now that the trade is actually final, felt like I’d come on here and just say to [Jordan Poole] how much I appreciated the four years, brother," Curry said. "You’re a champion. You grew up right in front of everybody’s face in terms of that first year where it was rough, a lot of injuries and trying to find your way, to going to the G League and coming back and helping us finish 15-5 down the stretch in the second year, us winning a championship your third year and fighting to the end this past year...Can’t wait to see you blossom, big fella. Can’t wait to see you shine in your own situation and just looking forward to competing, obviously, but being a fan of everything that you become. Good luck to you. And [Chris Paul], can’t wait to rock with you, brother. It’s going to be different with us on the same side. Let’s get it."
Less than 24 hours after Curry's heartfelt farewell to Jordan Poole, the latter introduced himself to NBA fans in the DMV (D.C., Maryland, and Virginia), wearing a #13 Washington Wizards jersey on the team's Instagram page.
When Jordan Poole officially suits up for the Washington Wizards this upcoming season, he will do so as the team's starting shooting guard (replacing Bradley Beal) and as a number one option for the first team in his NBA career.
Scroll up and press play to watch his introduction.
Source: Instagram