Wizards Midseason Grade: Can Jordan Poole Continue?

The Washington Wizards are at the All-Star break, and while their record isn't good, some of their play has been. It's time to dive into midseason grades, starting with their star guard.

What is Jordan Pooles performace grade at the mid-way point?

I gave Jordan Poole aka JP13 an A- as we head into the All-Star break. Why? Poole clearly put work in his game during the offseason and after having an inconsistent first year in Washington, came into this season with a chip on his shoulder and renewed focus. His scoring average went from 17 PPG to 20 PPG. Assists went up from 4.4 to 4.9, so he's utilizing his above-average vision a lot more this season. His biggest improvement has been on the defensive end. While he has ways to go to be considered a lockdown defender, he went from being non-existent on defense to showing a lot more energy defensively and being very active in passing lanes. Defense is a mentality and he has developed a more disciplined defensive mentality. The biggest improvement this season is his leadership. He has not only taken the young core under his wing, he has taken over the locker room as its loudest voice and has done a great job. He shows natural leadership traits. Are these improvements enough for him to be an All-Star?

Is Jordan Poole an All-Star?

Yes and no. I do believe that Poole has played at an All-Star level but two factors hold him back, team performance and his role within that team. Currently, the Wizards are 9-43. While I disagree, team performance impacts a player's chance of being an All-Star. Kyle Kuzma averaged 20+ points the last two years in Washington and didn't even sniff the All-Star game. Team performance matters. His role matters too. The Wizards are very young and unproven and while Poole is the clear number-one option in Washington, there is a slight scoring drop-off after him. Bilal Coulibaly has drastically improved offensively but suffers from inconsistency. The team doesn't have a go-to scorer who can take over a game after Poole checks out and with that inflated role, Poole could just be a benefactor of being the guy on a bad team.

Where can he improve?

Yes, Jordan Poole has improved. As I mentioned before, his efficiency, passing vision, and defense have improved and are key factors why he's played at an All-Star level but where can he improve? His shot selection can definitely improve. Being a Point Guard, I believe he needs to utilize the shot clock better unless attacking in transition. He needs to balance aggression vs efficiency. Scoring vs distribution. He can be aggressive but it has to be controlled, or it can backfire. He's a natural scorer but why not let his scoring complement his distribution? With his ability to attack the basket, let that ability collapse opposing defenses so he can set up shooters like Corey Kispert or Kyshawn George. If he finds balance, he'll find the All-Star game whether the Wizards are good or bad. It's only a matter of time.

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