Washington Wizards: how Jordan Poole can bring his play to another level

Jordan Poole is one of the best young pure scorers in the league. He has proven that he can score 20 points per game both in the regular season and in the playoffs. He has excelled in a bench role with the Golden State Warriors, won a championship, and now has the opportunity to lead the Washington Wizards.

While his scoring is lethal and he can score almost at will, he does have a few weaknesses. He is a subpar defender, his efficiency was low last season, and he is not a great playmaker.

However, one of these aspects of the game could take Poole’s ability to a completely different level next season should he add it to his repertoire.

Passing the ball would greatly improve Jordan Poole’s scoring ability

While it sounds odd to say that passing more often can make a player more dangerous as a scorer, it’s completely true. One of the greatest examples of this is Stephen Curry who is more dangerous when he passes the ball than he is when he is set in isolation plays.

One of the most obvious ways playmaking adds to scoring is with pass fakes. Defenders bite on fakes from Chris Paul, Rajon Rondo, and LeBron James all the time, opening up easy lanes to the bucket. However, players like Poole who rarely make the play to the corner don’t get the same openings using ball fakes.

Due to Poole’s ability to find openings on the perimeter without the ball in his hands, largely due to playing with the Warriors’ trio, moving the ball consistently next season could also help him see better three-point opportunities than he would trying to take every defender off the dribble.

Backdoor cuts and slips off screens would also help Poole get quality looks around the rim or even free throw attempts. He is an extremely talented scorer around the rim and led the league in free throw percentage just two seasons ago.

With playmakers like Tyus Jones and Deni Avdija on the roster, mixing off-ball scoring opportunities into game plan for Jordan Poole may be the best way to maximize his value on the floor.