Poole understands ‘unique’ situation with Kuminga, Moody originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
The Warriors are in a situation that most other teams around the NBA would envy.
Currently posting the best record in the league, Golden State (27-7) has returned to dominance after a two-year hiatus. Not only are the Warriors a force once again, but they’re doing so while simultaneously developing an exciting core of young players who will be ready to take over the reins whenever the trio of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green eventually retire.
You don’t want to think about that, though. Understandable.
With four recent first-round draft picks in Jonathan Kuminga (2021), Moses Moody (2021), James Wiseman (2020) and Jordan Poole (2019) currently being developed at the NBA level, the Warriors find themselves in a unique situation that most competitive teams are unable to relate to.
Poole joined Grant Liffmann on the latest episode of Dubs Talk where he explained why Kuminga and Moody being able to go back and forth between the NBA and G League levels puts the Warriors in a unique situation developmentally.
“It’s such a unique situation because [Jonathan Kuminga] and [Moses Moody] were lottery picks,” Poole said. “You don’t see lottery picks go down and get run with the G League team too often. But it just shows you the unique situation and circumstance that we’re in, that it’s more than just being about yourself.
“We run a different type of shift over here, it’s a pretty tight ship but it’s for the team. It’s about putting guys on the court who we feel are going best help us. But we are also good enough this year to essentially have our guys, our lottery picks go and get burn and get time and put up 30 shots or score 40 points in the G League and come back. We feel solidified as a team this year.”
Kuminga and Moody have both been up and down from the G League multiple times already this season, showing flashes of brilliance at each level.
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To Poole’s point, the experience and confidence they develop with the Santa Cruz Warriors can carry over in their limited action with Golden State, allowing for the two rookies to generate momentum prior to a call-up.
Most teams who have a chance to draft lottery players are oftentimes nowhere near competing, which then allows for the highly touted prospects to see starts in the NBA. That’s not the case for the Warriors.
Golden State is one of the rare teams that are able to compete for a championship while simultaneously building for the future.