The Golden State Warriors championship window looks to be closing, and Rashad McCants thinks the most significant reason was moving on from Jordan Poole. The former NBA veteran sees that as the first misstep in the franchise’s potential downfall.

“It is a burning building, and that thing is coming down and, unfortunately, is due to all the things that the Warriors allowed to happen with Jordan Poole,” said McCants on the Gil’s Arena podcast.

Poole was traded by Golden State just one year after the team won a championship for an aging Chris Paul. In his last season with the team, Poole averaged over 20 points per game, and his departure not only halted his own development but also that of the organization.

“Choosing Brandin Podziemski and Draymond and Kuminga over Jordan Poole to me was crazy. I just can’t see it. Anytime I think about the Warriors, I think about Jordan Poole. I feel like that’s why Klay left, and I feel like that’s why they are gonna break the team up, and it is unfortunate,” said McCants.

The Warriors could surprise everyone and be competitive this year. They still have the top-end talent in Steph Curry and are underrated when it comes to their depth, but they are missing that elite second scorer that Poole could have become for the team.

Maybe Jonathan Kuminga makes that jump, or they take a swing for a player before the trade deadline, but something certainly feels off in Golden State. They are no longer the most feared organization by other teams around the league, and Curry does not want to play for a lower-level team.

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