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Jordan Poole to Warriors: Golden State's Current Roster After 2019 NBA Draft

Rob Goldberg@TheRobGoldbergFeatured ColumnistJune 21, 2019

Michigan's Jordan Poole (2) during the second half of a second round men's college basketball game against Florida in the NCAA Tournament, in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, March 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)
Nati Harnik/Associated Press

The Golden State Warriors used the No. 28 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft to select guard Jordan Poole.

The 6'5" guard took a big leap from his freshman to sophomore season at Michigan, more than doubling his scoring average from 6.1 to 12.8 points per game. He also knocked down 36.9 percent of his shots from three-point range.

Here's how Poole fits with Golden State's roster:   

      

Alfonzo McKinnie, PF: $1.4M (2020)

Andre Iguodala, SF: $16M (2020)

Damian Jones, C: $1.6M (2020)

Draymond Green, PF: $16.4M (2020)

Jacob Evans, SG: $1.8M (2022)

Shaun Livingston, PG: $7.9M (2020)

Stephen Curry, PG: $40.2M (2022)

Alen Smailagic, C

Eric Paschall, PF

     

Andrew Bogut, C: UFA

Damion Lee, G: RFA

Jonas Jerebko, PF: UFA

Jordan Bell, C: RFA

Kevin Durant, SF: Player Option

Kevon Looney, C: UFA

Klay Thompson, SG: UFA

Quinn Cook, PG: RFA 

Poole's shooting from deep is his most notable quality:

Nick Friedell @NickFriedell

From the NBA’s Draft guide a few notes on Poole: He hit five or more threes in five games last year at Michigan. He shot 36.9% from beyond the arc last season. He turned 20 years old yesterday.

Anthony Slater @anthonyVslater

Warriors clearly prioritized backcourt shooting, appearing to reach for Jordan Poole at #28. Poole from 3 in his two years at Michigan: 115-of-311. High volume, 37% accuracy.

This fits in perfectly with the Warriors, a team that has relied on the outside shot throughout its recent dynasty. Poole won't replace the injured Klay Thompson in the lineup, but he could help provide some valuable depth and open things up for Stephen Curry next season.

He also comes into the NBA with a lot of confidence:

John Dickinson @JDJohnDickinson

Former Michigan head coach (& new Cavs coach) John Beilein on #Warriors first round pick Jordan Poole, "The guy is an overdose of swag. He's got everything you could ask for. He dreams of those (game-winning) shots. He lives for those shots. That's what he loves."

Monte Poole @MontePooleNBCS

About Jordan Poole (no relation): He's fearless, and embraces the big moment. Has Jarrett Jack swag but is a better athlete.

However, consistency was a problem at Michigan, and it caused many to push Poole down draft boards. He also didn't contribute many other ways on the stat sheet, averaging just 3.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman only listed him as the No. 44 overall prospect in the class, making him a bit of a reach in the first round.

With good athleticism and a pure stroke from the perimeter, Poole can continue improving over the next few years. However, it's a significant risk for a contending team that needs contributions from its bench in 2019-20.