Wolverines in the NBA: Warriors eyeing big contract extension for Jordan Poole, Franz Wagner wins Rising Stars Game
All was quiet for Michigan basketball players in the NBA in the days following the All-Star Game, until a report surfaced that former U-M guard Jordan Poole is set to cash in on a multi-year extension. The San Francisco Chronicle‘s Connor Letourneau reported that the Warriors will try to ink Poole to a big deal this coming offseason.
“The Warriors also will try to sign Poole to a multiyear extension this summer, which would allow them to avoid having to deal with him in restricted free agency in 2023,” Letourneau writes. “Keith Smith, a salary-cap expert for Spotrac, estimates that deal to be in the four-year, $80 million range.”
After spending a month in the G League last season, the former Michigan guard has completely turned around the trajectory of his NBA career, embracing new roles for head coach Steve Kerr and the Warriors. He began this season as a starter but was relegated to a bench role once star Klay Thompson returned from his injury, and Poole has become the team’s sixth-man.
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He’s started 35 of 52 games for the 42-16 Warriors, who stand second in the Western Conference, averaging 16.4 points, 3.4 assists and 3.2 rebounds per outing, while nailing 43.7 percent of his field goal attempts and 33.6 percent of his looks from deep.
Elsewhere, rookie Franz Wagner was Michigan Wolverines basketball’s lone representative on All-Star weekend in Cleveland. The Orlando Magic wing participated in the Rising Stars Game, and helped lead Team Barry to the championship.
Detroit Pistons rookie guard Cade Cunningham passed to Wagner, who was fouled and made the game-winning free throw to give Team Barry, which trailed 18-12, the target score of 25 points in a win over Team Isiah to win the three-game tournament.
The former Michigan standout finished with six total points — three in each of two games — for the challenge. While he made some big plays, including hitting the game-winning foul shot, Orlando Magic Daily gave him just a C+ for his performance Friday night. But it was noted that the free-for-all nature of the game, plus the lack of defense, doesn’t necessarily suit his style.
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“This game is not designed for a player like Franz Wagner,” Philip Rossman-Reich wrote of the former Michigan star. “We saw it in Summer League how he struggled to find his place in an unstructured environment. Wagner needs to know when to time his cuts and needs to have his teammates’ trust to get him the ball. This might be one of the big areas he has to improve. He just goes invisible too often, even with how good he can be.
“There were just so few opportunities for Wagner to showcase his skills and wedge himself into the game. The foul that drew the free throw was one of the few times that he was able to play the way Orlando Magic fans have come accustomed to — he gave one attempt at a step-through Euro that he has become so good at and he hit a three for one of his two field goals.
“Wagner still won. And whatever defense he played was more than anyone else played throughout the game.”
The former Michigan swingman has started all 59 games for the 13-46 Magic, with 15.6 points (second on team), 4.6 rebounds and three assists per game, while shooting 46.5 percent from the field and 36.2 percent from long range.
