Former Pistons Exec Explains Jordan Poole Trade for Pelicans

Joe Dumars opens up on the Pelicans' decision to land Jordan Poole.

Mar 11, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (9) defends against Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole (13) during the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images | David Reginek-Imagn Images

When former Detroit Pistons executive Joe Dumars took over for the New Orleans Pelicans recently, he wasted no time making some key changes to the roster to make his presence felt.

The Pelicans acquired Jordan Poole from the Washington Wizards, along with ex-Pistons sharpshooter Saddiq Bey, and a second-round pick. The Pelicans parted ways with CJ McCollum, who was a face of the franchise for a few seasons.

Recently, Dumars opened up on the decision to trade for the polarizing guard.

“If you look around the league now, it’s almost a requirement to have high-level guard play, dynamic guard play. Jordan has a skillset that matches the most dynamic guards in this league,” Dumars told Andscape.

“We’ve also seen him be a part of a championship team and contribute at a high level. So, with his skillset, he’s a dynamic guard, and I know we have proof that he’s helped teams win championships. I look at those things and say, ‘I want him here and I want to tap into all of what he’s experienced so far.’”

Apr 6, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole (13) drives to the basket while Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) defends during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Poole has been through two very different phases in his career. When he entered the NBA as a first-round pick out of Michigan, Poole was the 28th overall pick for a Steph Curry-led Golden State Warriors team.

He played a reserve role through his first two seasons, before starting in 51 of the 76 games he played in 2021-2022. That year, Poole starred off the bench for the Warriors in the playoffs. He knocked down 39 percent of his threes while averaging 17 points per game amid a championship run with Golden State.

Poole entered the future superstar conversation and was paid a contract extension worth over $120 million.

While he had a strong scoring season in 2022-2023 with the Warriors, Poole’s playoff performance wasn’t as strong. After he averaged 10 points on 34 percent shooting from the field in 2023, Poole was traded to the Washington Wizards.

Landing on a rebuilding team, Poole stuffed the stat sheets over the past two years, but wasn’t on a strong enough roster to compete in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Dumars believes Poole can have a greater impact in New Orleans, playing alongside the star forward, Zion Williamson. Now that it’s clear that Dumars plans to keep the face of the Pels in the picture, every move has been about building around the former No. 1 pick out of Duke. Soon, Poole will be in the mix to replace McCollum.

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