The Golden State Warriors are at a crossroads. They want to maximize the remaining prime years of Stephen Curry and contend for a championship, but at 15-15 on the season, they are barely in a playoff position. The Warriors have been mentioned as a potential suitor for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but questions remain about whether they possess the assets the Milwaukee Bucks would demand in any deal. That raises a bigger question: what is the path forward — and how did the Warriors reach this point?
On his Point Game podcast with C.J. Toledano, former Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas discussed the Warriors’ current struggles, suggesting that some of their current issues might have been avoided had the team held on to Jordan Poole.
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“Same player, same type of player. Like I think that was a bad decision to let him go. Jordan Poole, in that style of play, he was doing what Curry was doing, not on a night-to-night basis as consistent as Curry, but you seen flashes of like, dang, if Curry is not having it, or if Curry’s hurt, he can really make up for what Curry is doing,” said Thomas.
Warriors traded Poole after the Draymond incident
Poole had emerged from a solid backup during his rookie season to a reliable scoring option, averaging 20.4 points per game in his fourth year with the Warriors. Not only that, he averaged 2.8 and 2.6 3-point makes, respectively, in his final two seasons with the team, even with the Splash Brothers still at the top of their game during those years.
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However, things changed after his altercation with Draymond Green.. The Warriors traded Poole, a protected 2030 first-round pick, and a 2027 second-rounder for veteran point guard Chris Paul.
Although most believe that Poole was shipped because of chemistry concerns after his fight with Green, they also wanted financial flexibility, as his four-year, $128 million contract was about to kick in. However, while they achieved that, they ultimately ended up paying more to acquire Jimmy Butler last year.
Butler signed a new two-year, $121 million deal through 2026-27 after being traded to Golden State. Including the $48 million he earned last season, the Warriors have spent a fortune to bring and keep him here. Meanwhile, with Poole’s contract also running through 2026-27, the Dubs invested more in a star 10 years older who hasn’t lived up to expectations.
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Arenas says Butler is hurting the Dubs’ offense
While Butler is a bigger name, Poole was a better fit in Golden State’s offense. Butler remains an unquestioned star and playoff performer, but has been more passive, settling into a supporting role. That passivity, Gilbert Arenas argues, has contributed to the Warriors’ current struggles.
“Jimmy, if you’re going to play like that, I will bring you off the bench,” Arenas said on his podcast. “You’re not a bench guy, but how you’re playing this game, on this team, this is not Miami. I don’t have a Herro and a Bam. You have to be one of those…You have to be Klay. You have to be KD. You have to be Jimmy in the playoffs. You can’t be Draymond Green because if you got two Draymonds out there, who you passing to? Post? What Post gon’ do?”
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If Butler is gun-shy, Poole was the opposite. While keeping the latter might have brought its own complications, there is little doubt the Warriors would be better off today had they not traded him. Still, the team must now move forward.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Dec 24, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.