In Game 5 of the 2022 NBA Finals, Jordan Poole gave the Warriors a moment they would remember for years. With the third quarter winding down against Boston, he launched a three-pointer from well beyond the arc. The ball went in at the buzzer, giving Golden State a one-point lead.

The Warriors eventually won 104-94, moving one step closer to their fourth championship in eight years. Poole had scored 14 points in just 14 minutes, delivering another reminder of how valuable he had become to the team. Back then, few could have imagined how differently his Golden State story would end.

Now, more than four years later, Poole has openly expressed his desire to return to the Warriors, with Stephen Curry welcoming the idea and Draymond Green refusing to stand in the way. After everything that happened between the former teammates, a reunion that once seemed almost impossible has suddenly become an interesting possibility.

“Do I miss it? Hell yeah. Obviously. I mean, they just play the right way, bro. They play good basketball. They play team basketball. Obviously, the environment is pretty high-level. Like I said, once you put in a lot of work, you got hardware with a team, with an organization, with a city, you’re kind of cemented in history. So, it’s good,” Poole said after the Pelicans’ 138-87 loss to Golden State, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Luca Evans.

When asked whether he would welcome a return, the guard did not hesitate.

“Yes. Yes. It just feels like home, though, you know? Driving into the f***ing arena, crossing the Bay Bridge or wherever you’re coming from, it definitely feels natural. And I think it’s pretty evident, the way that I play is very fitting to how I used to play here. Nothing’s changed, other than the systems that I’m in. And we won a championship, you know? So it works.”

Poole is also approaching unrestricted free agency, making his comments particularly interesting. His current contract expires after the 2026-27 season, giving him an opportunity to decide where the next chapter of his career will begin.

“Definitely. This is my last year on the deal. And I’m a free agent at the end of the season. So you never really know what’s going to happen. You gotta just figure out things if they go along. But if there’s anyplace that I’m comfortable, it’s probably where I started,” he added.

However, the reason this possibility has attracted so much attention goes beyond Poole’s connection to the Bay Area. His departure from Golden State involved one of the ugliest incidents in the franchise’s recent history, and the person at the center of it has now offered a surprising response.

Jordan Poole’s difficult journey after the Warriors breakup

Poole’s departure in 2023 marked the end of what had once looked like a promising partnership. The guard had developed into an important offensive option during Golden State’s championship run, averaging 18.5 points and 4.0 assists during the 2021-22 regular season.

His impact became even more important during the playoffs. Poole averaged 17.0 points and 3.8 assists across 22 games, shooting 50.8% from the field and 39.1% from three-point range. He was not simply a young player enjoying a championship ride. He was a major reason the Warriors reached the top.

Klay Thompson made that importance clear when discussing Poole’s contribution in December 2023.

“We would not have won a championship in ’22 without him. Simple as that. So I hope Dub Nation shows him the right ovation on Friday night.”

But the following season began with a confrontation that changed everything. During Warriors training camp in October 2022, Draymond Green punched Poole during practice after an exchange between the two players. TMZ subsequently released footage of the incident, turning an internal locker-room problem into a major public controversy.

Green apologized to the team, while then-general manager Bob Myers confirmed that the organization would handle the matter internally.

“These things happen. Nobody likes it, we don’t condone it, but it happens. Draymond apologized to the team. Jordan was there in the room. As far as any suspension, punishment, fine, we will handle that internally,” Myers said on October 6, 2022.

Curry also made it clear that Poole had not done anything to deserve the confrontation.

“[Poole] has been great, and there was nothing that warranted the situation yesterday. I want to make that clear,” Curry said.

The incident continued to hang over the Warriors throughout the season. Green later acknowledged his responsibility, while Poole’s relationship with the organization became increasingly difficult to repair. Golden State eventually traded him to Washington in the summer of 2023.

Even Steve Kerr has since admitted that the organization could have handled the situation differently.

“I look back at that, and I hate that it happened. I know that in my heart, that when [the punch] happened, we handled it the best way we thought we could handle it. But in hindsight, and hindsight is always 20/20, we could have done better for sure,” Kerr said in December 2023.

“I just hate the way it ended for Jordan here, because he is a huge success story.”

Stephen Curry and Draymond Green have different reasons to welcome Poole back

While Poole’s departure was difficult, his connection with Curry appears to have survived the fallout. Their recent reunion at Chase Center offered a glimpse of that relationship, with the two sharing their familiar handshake before the game.

Curry even borrowed Poole’s sunglasses before knocking down a three-pointer during warmups. The two later embraced after the game, while Poole also exchanged jerseys with Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg.

More importantly, Curry was asked directly about the possibility of his former teammate returning. His response left little doubt about how he feels.

“Jordan is at the top of the list. There aren’t many guys that I’ve played with that I wouldn’t welcome back. Full stop,” Curry said.

The Warriors superstar also reflected on what Poole had accomplished during his time with the franchise, despite the difficult ending.

“He went to the G League, he came back and he literally helped win a championship. His impact was at the right time, and he put the work in to prepare himself for when it mattered the most. And he’s a part of Warrior history forever.”

Curry’s comments were particularly meaningful because he did not simply describe Poole as a former teammate. He highlighted the work that went into his development and the role he played in bringing another championship to Golden State.

However, Curry’s willingness to welcome Poole back does not mean the front office has made a decision. And there is another former teammate whose opinion carries considerably more history.

Green was seen heading toward the locker room as Poole approached after the game. The two did not share the same warm interaction that Curry and Poole had, although the moment alone does not establish what either player was thinking.

Green was also seen pulling at Poole’s jersey during a defensive possession. It was another reminder of their complicated history, but his postgame comments offered a very different perspective on a possible reunion.

“That would be incredible. That’s one of the one things I look back at my career and just kind of… I have no issue with that at all. I will never stand in the way of this organization thinking they can better themselves. The issue will never be me. Ever,” Green said.

That is a significant change from the hostility surrounding their original fallout. However, Green stopped short of saying that the two had repaired their relationship or that he was personally pushing for Poole’s return.

In January 2025, Green had addressed the incident again on his podcast, acknowledging his mistake while also explaining his own perspective.

“I know I was wrong, but you can’t call a man a b-word and push him and not get hit either. You know what I’m saying? I kind of sit in both of those spaces sometime and the reality is, the answer is probably somewhere in the middle, right? Like, I shouldn’t have knocked him out like that. If anything, I should have hemmed him up. Kind of was just a natural reaction.”

He also admitted that he should never have punched Poole, adding, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have punched him. But, you know, it happened. Let’s move on, man.”

The distinction matters. Green is no longer publicly presenting himself as an obstacle, but there is no confirmation that the two have personally put the incident behind them.

Jordan Poole’s career has taken a different direction since leaving Golden State

After joining Washington, Poole initially struggled to find consistency. He averaged 17.4 points and 4.4 assists in 78 games during the 2023-24 season, although his shooting efficiency remained a concern.

His second season with the Wizards, however, offered a much better picture of what he could still accomplish. Poole averaged 20.5 points and 4.5 assists in 68 games during 2024-25, shooting 43.2% from the field and 37.8% from beyond the arc.

That was a considerable improvement and showed that his offensive ability had not disappeared after leaving the Warriors. Unfortunately, his next move to New Orleans brought another difficult chapter.

Poole joined the Pelicans in July 2025, but injuries limited him to just 39 appearances during the 2025-26 season. His start to the current campaign has been even more difficult, with the guard averaging just 6.2 points while shooting 19.2% from the field through his first five games.

He had also missed six consecutive games before facing Golden State, with three absences attributed to an ankle injury and three coming as a healthy scratch. Even against his former team, Poole managed only seven points on 1-of-5 shooting despite playing 34 minutes.

The guard believes the lack of stability has made it difficult to find his rhythm. Speaking about his recent seasons, he pointed to the number of coaching changes he has experienced.

“Pretty fing difficult. Pretty fing difficult. But I mean, it’s a part of the league, and you just try to find ways to get better, learn and be positive. But it’s only so much that you can control, you know what I mean. And I think, over probably the last two seasons, I think, I’ve had five coaches in four years. And it’s a tough recipe to be successful.”

Poole also explained why the Warriors’ environment continues to appeal to him, particularly the opportunity to develop within a consistent system.

“Every basketball player wants to have that, to be able to be settled, play in the same system, to be able to learn the same system, grow in the same system.”

His recent numbers certainly raise questions, but they should not erase what he accomplished in Washington just one season earlier. And Golden State has already seen what Poole can produce when he is comfortable within its system.

Would the Warriors actually bring Jordan Poole back?

There is a basketball argument for considering the reunion. During the 2022 championship run, Poole provided Golden State with another reliable scoring option and someone capable of creating his own shot when Curry needed a break.

His 17.0 points per game in the playoffs demonstrated just how valuable that role was. The Warriors have also faced questions about finding consistent secondary shot creation behind Curry, something Poole previously provided.

However, bringing him back would not automatically solve those problems. His defensive limitations remain a concern, and Golden State has increasingly prioritized players who can contribute on both ends of the floor.

The San Francisco Chronicle’s Luca Evans also offered a significant reason for caution, writing, “At present moment, with Golden State’s roster priorities in finding two-way fits, it’s hard to see a reunion.”

That assessment is important because there is currently no confirmed report that the Warriors have contacted Poole or are actively considering signing him. Curry’s support and Green’s willingness to accept a reunion are encouraging, but neither confirms that the organization shares their position.

Money could also become part of the conversation. Poole signed a four-year, $128 million extension with Golden State in October 2022, with $123 million guaranteed. He is earning approximately $34.04 million in the final season of that contract.

His unrestricted free agency in 2027 will give both sides an opportunity to assess their options. Golden State is also projected to have considerable cap flexibility, although its exact spending power will depend on future roster decisions and contract commitments.

For Poole, however, securing another deal worth anything close to his current salary could be difficult if his New Orleans struggles continue. A return to Golden State might require accepting a considerably smaller contract, potentially giving him an opportunity to rebuild his value in a familiar environment.

That remains a hypothetical scenario, not an agreement either side has discussed publicly. The Warriors would still need to decide whether his offensive strengths outweigh the concerns surrounding his defense and previous departure.

For now, Poole has made his position clear. He misses Golden State, Curry would welcome him back, and Green says he will not stand in the organization’s way.

The last time Poole left Chase Center, he was walking away from a championship team and a relationship that had fallen apart. This time, he has left the door open himself. Whether the Warriors decide to walk through it could determine where the next chapter of his career begins.