Warriors To Enter Tough Extension Talks With Key Player

Turns out that the Golden State Warriors' trip to Tokyo is going to be a costly one for the team. From a financial standpoint. With the Warriors back from overseas, they are set to meet now to discuss a potential rookie extension for last season's breakout youngster Jordan Poole. 

But a funny thing happened while the Dubs were in the Far East. The Miami Heat signed Poole's 2019 draft year comp Tyler Herro to a massive $130M rookie extension. And as noted by Anthony Slater in The Athletic, "the landscape has been altered." Dramatically, we would add. 

There probably isn’t a better player-to-player comparison in the world for Jordan Poole than Tyler Herro, @anthonyVslater writes.

And the Heat delivered the Warriors a tough negotiating hand this week.https://t.co/ZCFGSIZNal pic.twitter.com/QeUWMvNFFV

— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) October 4, 2022

The Herro deal has set the new bar for a Poole extension. This could certainly make it more difficult for the luxury-tax-heavy Warriors and Poole to come to an agreement. 

Jordan Poole walking into contract negotiations after he seen Tyler Herro get 4 years/130 Million pic.twitter.com/1XKtxiYeJ8

— JP - The Wholesome Truth Teller (@jay_pea619) October 2, 2022

As Slater points out, if the sides had met before the Herro signing, the $100M extension that Anfernee Simons got from the Portland Trail Blazers, or the $107M that the New York Knicks got RJ Barrett for, could have been the comps.  

But now, that $130M number will likely be the one to meet. And this "has delivered the Warriors a tough negotiating hand," writes Slater. The Warriors are in a very high "repeater-tax" level, meaning that "every dollar the Warriors can shave away is multiplied by nearly eight or beyond."

Poole broke through last season as a key piece on the champs' roster, boosting his scoring by over 50% from his previous career-high, to 18.5 points per game. His rebounds (3.4) and assists (4.0) pretty much doubled from the previous season, and his 3-point shooting was at a new high as well (36.4%).

The two sides have until Oct. 17 to come to an agreement, or Poole will be an unrestricted free agent after the season.

Photo: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports