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Actor Nicholas Braun, aka Cousin Greg from “Succession,” tries to protect Warriors guard Jordan Poole after Poole fell during the fourth quarter of Golden State’s 118-99 loss to the Kings on Friday.
Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle
Jordan Poole saw a wide-open driving lane, strode into the key and leapt for a one-handed dunk.
This should have been a cathartic moment. Finally, after almost 47 minutes of botched layups, blocked shots and turnstile defense, Poole was soaring for a highlight-worthy slam.
Then the unfortunate happened. Unable to reach the rim, he changed plans midair, trying to loft in a floater that clanged off back iron. As the Chase Center crowd groaned, Poole grimaced and shook his head, ESPN commentator Mike Breen saying the obvious on the telecast: “That’s a fitting ending for Jordan Poole.”
Poole’s final stat line in Friday night’s 118-99 loss to the Kings in Game 6 of the first round was ugly: seven points on 2-for-11 shooting, three fouls and a plus-minus of minus-14 in 26 minutes. But given the litany of bloopers he piled up, it might not have fully encapsulated just how rough of an outing he endured.
This was the type of nightmarish performance that keeps young players up at night. And worst of all, it came on one of the biggest stages: a closeout game in the playoffs.
During the Golden State Warriors’ postgame news conferences, head coach Steve Kerr and several players took turns offering support for Poole — the 23-year-old guard who parlayed a breakout year into a $140 million contract. But no amount of goodwill can stop that extension, which takes effect next season, from raising expectations for Poole.
Whenever he plays poorly, chatter about him being “overpaid” or “overrated” only amplifies. This is all part of the deal. Given how much the Warriors have already invested in him, they must hope Poole learns from his mistakes and improves rapidly.
The alternative — sinking $28.7 million next season into an inefficient scorer who can’t defend — might be too painful to stomach. If Poole continues to toil through games as he did Friday, the Warriors could struggle to stay relevant long-term.
That huge four-year extension came with the implication that he will become the team’s leader once the 35-year-old Stephen Curry retires. Should Poole end up being more Monta Ellis than Klay Thompson, the Warriors could have a tough time recovering financially.
That is, if they even keep him on the roster next season. A payroll crunch should force Warriors management to part with a big salary this summer. Though Draymond Green’s impulse-control issues have made him the likely casualty for months, Poole could emerge as the top candidate if he keeps laboring.
As the Warriors try to save their season in Game 7 on Sunday in Sacramento, he is averaging just 12.7 points on 33.8% shooting (24.1% from 3-point range) in the series. And that’s not even the worst of it. Poole’s porous defense has made him the Kings’ favorite target on pick-and-rolls, leaving the likes of De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk to attack him again and again in isolation.
Before Game 5 in Sacramento on Wednesday, Monk was getting up shots when he repeated the same two words several times to Poole: “Guard me.” AirPods in his ears, Poole channeled his inner Draymond, puffing out his chest and jawing back.
The exchange conjured memories of Kerr’s first presser after Poole signed that four-year, $140 million extension. Kerr reminded reporters that Poole had been benched for critical stretches of last year’s playoffs because he was a defensive liability. For Poole to earn the team’s trust in the postseason, Kerr said, he would have to become more of a two-way player.
That hasn’t happened. With Poole still unable to guard him, Monk has emerged as an X-factor for the Kings, averaging 19.8 points off the bench.
Such awful defense means Poole must thrive offensively just to be a helpful player. Aside from his 22-point gem in Game 4, that hasn’t materialized.
“Jordan never really got going tonight, unfortunately,” Kerr said Friday of Poole, who could be relegated to a bench role in Game 7. “He got a little frustrated early. He had a couple plays where he didn’t get calls, and he was trying to attack and couldn’t quite shake free, so just a frustrating night for him.”
The sprained left ankle that Poole has nursed over the past five-plus games is surely a factor. But at this stage of the season, ailments are to be expected. It’s how players persevere that matters.
Poole’s bad body language Friday was just as big of a problem as his gaffes. Like many youngsters, he hasn’t proved that he can keep mistakes from snowballing. Most youngsters, though, haven’t signed nine-figure contracts.
“The biggest thing for all of us, JP included, is that next-play mentality that is so important at this level,” Curry said. “Not just in the 82-game schedule, but also in a playoff series where you don’t have to be kind of a victim of the last game. You always can kind of bounce back.”
This was Curry’s subtle way of holding Poole accountable. Though all players have bad nights, he is having them on a far too regular basis.
The question now is whether Poole, who didn’t address media postgame, can figure things out before the Warriors’ season ends. If not, Golden State might have to ask itself an important question: Should he still be in its plans?
“It wasn’t on just JP tonight,” Thompson said. “He could come out and get 30 effortlessly on Sunday. He’s got to keep his confidence up.”
Reach Connor Letourneau: cletourneau@sfchronicle.com
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