The Washington Wizards haven’t gotten their money’s worth with Jordan Poole.
Some thought he was going to be one of the leading scorers in the game this season, even if the Wizards didn’t win many games.
Needless to say, that hasn’t been the case, as the former NBA champion has struggled mightily in a bigger role, proving that he wasn’t suited to be the alpha scorer on a team.
Poole has struggled from all three levels and was eventually demoted to the second unit.
However, that has worked perfectly for him.
As shown by NBA Central, he’s averaging 23.8 points, 4.0 assists, and 3.0 rebounds per game on 47% shooting from the floor when coming off the bench for the Wizards.
Jordan Poole off the bench this season:
23.8 PPG
4.0 APG
3.0 RPG
47% FGThe perfect role for him 🔥
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 7, 2024
It has become evident that he’s better suited for that kind of role, as he’s more efficient against backups and as an offensive catalyst off the bench.
Even so, the Wizards might not be thrilled with him.
They’re paying him a lot of money, and they now have the worst record in the Association.
His trade value has plummeted drastically this season, and it’s hard to think of it ever going back up, at least while he continues to make top dollar.
The Wizards have some interesting pieces but are still a ways away from being a playoff-caliber team.
On the bright side, this brand of iso-heavy and erratic basketball is going to get them very valuable draft picks for years to come.
NEXT: Insider Says Wizards Had An Option To Trade Kyle Kuzma At Deadline