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The Golden State Warriors’ iconic backcourt of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson got a major boost last season with the emergence of Jordan Poole. Poole played a key role as the starting shooting guard before Thompson’s return from injury, and he also made an impact in the NBA Finals.
Before the Warriors’ three-guard rotation wreaked havoc on the NBA, there was a trio that the league had no answer for: the Detroit Pistons’ backcourt of Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars and Vinnie Johnson.
On an episode of the Ryen Russillo podcast, former Boston Globe columnist Bob Ryan said the Warriors trio are well on their way to surpassing the Pistons greats.
“I still think that’s [Pistons] the gold standard of three-man backcourt production that the Warriors have now challenged with the advent of Poole…I think that was the best three-man backcourt ever until right now because I gotta say it, if Poole, the backcourt of the Warriors put out there right now.
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“There was never any better offensively than those three guys [Thomas, Dumars and Johnson].”
The Pistons’ back-to-back championship-winning team had Thomas and Dumars as the starting backcourt. Vinnie Johnson often came off the bench, but he also featured whenever the late Chuck Daly wanted to play all three of them together.
Johnson was called “The Microwave” for a reason. He could easily get hot despite coming off the bench.
The Golden State Warriors employed a somewhat similar strategy. Jordan Poole often came on to replace Klay Thompson to provide a spark off the bench. At times, Steve Kerr let all three of them run amok against terrified defenses.
So far, the Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole triumvirate have produced only one NBA title. They are, however, poised to win a few more.
The Golden State Warriors may not have Jordan Poole for long
The Golden State Warriors are unlikely to ever let go of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. “Chef Curry” is the team’s talisman while Thompson has sworn not to play for another team in his career. As such, Jordan Poole could be the player shown the door in the future.
Poole’s contract runs through the 2023-24 season after which he will become a restricted free agent. However, he is eligible for an extension, which will reportedly start at $100 million. General manager Bob Myers will be in no hurry to offer that extension, but will certainly be looking to keep the shooter on the roster.
If the Golden State Warriors win another NBA title, Curry, Thompson and Poole may eventually pass the Pistons’ trio as the best backcourt triumvirate. At the same time, it could also make Poole too expensive to retain.
Curry, Thompson and Poole have a two-year window to grab the title Bob Ryan has reserved for Thomas, Dumars and Johnson.
