Jordan Poole requests trade as Pelicans head to Golden State

Jordan Poole has asked the New Orleans Pelicans for a trade, multiple reports confirm, and the timing puts him right back in the spotlight. On Monday night, the Pelicans visit the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center, the building where Poole won a title in 2022.

The request comes after a rough start. Through the first three games, Jordan Poole is averaging 7.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists on 16.7% shooting, with 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks per game. That is a long way from the player who arrived in New Orleans billed as the one to give the Pelicans’ offense another gear.

The numbers behind the request

Poole is in the middle of a four-year, $128 million contract, which makes any trade complicated. The Warriors know the deal well: they signed him to it, then sent Poole, Ryan Rollins and draft picks to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Chris Paul in 2023. Recaps of the deal note it was tied to Poole’s contract and Paul’s fit with the Golden State roster, giving the franchise financial breathing room.

New Orleans has moved on without him. Wednesday’s victory sent a clear message, according to Sports Illustrated, about who the odd man out is in the rotation. The Pelicans were also beaten by the Clippers, and they need a response on Monday against a Warriors side coming off Stephen Curry’s 41-point outing.

Poole’s struggles have drawn attention for other reasons too. In October 2022, Draymond Green punched him in practice, an incident that fractured the Warriors’ locker room and led directly to the eventual trade. TMZ reported that a young fan recently asked Poole how it felt to be punched by Green, and his on-video answer went around on TikTok.

A possible return to the Bay

The pregame shootaround on Monday had a warmer moment, with Curry trying on former teammate Poole’s sunglasses. Yahoo Sports noted that “the last Michigan kid Dub Nation fell for comes home in a warmup jacket,” while a new one is on pace for rookie of the year. The same outlet has listed three potential landing spots for Poole.

Could a reunion be in the works? Blue Man Hoop writes that the Warriors now have a surprising but obvious path to bringing Jordan Poole back, pointing out that the 2022 champion reportedly wants out of New Orleans. Poole has also shown flashes of his old self against his former club, delivering a standout statistical performance in a Warriors-Wizards meeting with pointed post-game statements, per Bolavip.

For now, the immediate question is whether Poole plays on Monday. He and Trey Murphy III received encouraging injury updates ahead of a recent game against the Utah Jazz, though the official status for the night remains open. Sports Illustrated says Poole must show he deserves a place in the rotation as the 2026-27 preseason begins. If the trade request goes through, he may be proving that somewhere else.