Here’s what Jordan Poole reportedly said to Draymond Green that got him punched in the face

Unless you had been residing beneath a rock in the fall of 2022, you already know that Draymond Green punched his then Golden State Warriors teammate Jordan Poole in the face right through a preseason follow. 

It was once prime drama at the time, and it persevered, if most effective as a backdrop, all the way through the season. The context was once necessary. Prior to the season, Poole was once up for a freelance extension, and with Green probably in the ultimate yr of his personal deal (he had a participant possibility for 2023-24), and thus an imminent loose agent, there was once a definite chance that the financially-capped Warriors would now not devote long-term cash to each. 

You get started messing with any individual’s cash and there may be generally going to be an issue. Obviously Green would really feel disrespected that Poole would receives a commission over his being arguably the second-most necessary participant on no less than two championship groups and the third-most necessary, at worst, on two extra. But Poole was once the scorching younger participant at the time. And a lovely brash one at that. It was once now not arduous to believe him pronouncing one thing that would push the hot-tempered Green over the edge. 

So, what did Poole say?

On Friday, longtime and credible reporter Pablo Torre, whilst talking on his podcast Pablo Torre Finds Out with Academy Award successful documentary filmmaker Ezra Edelman (O.J. Made in America), published that Poole said to Green: “You’re an expensive backpack for 30.” Which is to say, Green, who value the Warriors north of $25 million closing season, was once being carried by way of Stephen Curry (No. 30). 

So, yeah. Edelman receives a textual content message from anyone in the know revealing what Poole said to Green. Torre is with Edelman at dinner and sees the textual content message. Perhaps that may really feel a bit of gossipy. 

But then Torre, as you’ll be able to listen when you cross to the 29-minute mark of the complete interview underneath, had a separate Warriors legit, as a moment supply, “independently confirm” that “this phrase has in fact been floating around the [Warriors] organization as the tipping point, the thing that set off Draymond.” 

Importantly, the legit, as Torre is going on to say, did not ascertain that this was once what was once said, as he did not listen it individually; most effective that this was once the communicate round the group. So at the very least, that is what is assumed within the Warriors’ partitions to be the factor that Poole said to Green. 

First off, if that is what Poole said, what a monster line. It’s a daft statement, thoughts you. The Warriors do not win a unmarried championship with out Green. But this has lengthy been sufficient of a speaking level — that Green has disproportionately benefited from his place on the Warriors — that you’ll be able to know the way sensitive Green could be to listening to such nonsense from a man like Poole. 

So then this took place. 

Poole, in fact, has since been traded to the Washington Wizards whilst Green simply signed a four-year, $100M care for the Warriors. Who is aware of how a lot the punch had to do with Golden State shifting off Poole. Surely there was once nonetheless dangerous blood. That was once glaring all season. If one among them had to cross, Poole was once the person who was once, who is, an abysmal defender and, every now and then, actively damaging postseason participant. I’m of the trust that Golden State selected properly. 

Either method, the basketball stuff is neither right here nor there with reference to this revelation. The blatant disrespect of Poole pronouncing this to Green (if certainly this was once what he said) is each fantastic and hilarious. You nearly have to admire the man’s gall. Almost. But in the finish, it landed him a haymaker to the grill and a one-way price ticket to one among the worst groups in the league.