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$128,000,000 Betrayal Deprived Former NBA Champion from Joining the All-Time Warriors List Alongside Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green

Published 07/25/2023, 2:05 PM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

Although Golden State Warriors have a rich history in the NBA, the face of the franchise changed completely when they drafted Stephen Curry in 2009. In 2015, they won their first championship, as the dynasty started. Along with Curry, the Warriors built an unbeatable team with Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. Despite Durant leaving the team, the trio is still there as they won their 4th championship together and 7th overall in franchise history.

After Durant left, they had a big void to fill; it seemed like they found a gem in the 2019 NBA Draft. Unfortunately, he could not cement his place in the all-time impressive list comprising Curry, Green, and Thompson.

24-year-old Guard faced a massive $128 million betrayal

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Yes, we are talking about Jordan Poole, who signed a massive $128 million, 4-year deal with the Warriors in October 2022, and recently got traded to the Wizards. After winning the championship in 2022, many thought Poole would become a Warriors legend and could well replace Curry in the future. However, a punching incident with Green during practice changed his career path completely.

USA Today via Reuters

In 2019, Poole signed a 4-year rookie deal with the franchise, worth $10.09 million. He was on his way to becoming one of the highest earners in the franchise’s history before the punching incident took place. Although Green apologized for the incident, the team dynamic took a massive hit. It may have affected Poole’s performance in the playoffs as well.

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Recently, Green talked about his altercation in his podcast. Apart from posting stories on Instagram occasionally, Poole chose to remain silent on the trade. He could feel betrayed by the Warriors, as it deprived him of joining the top 10 list of the highest earners in the franchise’s history.

Stephen Curry is the highest earner in the Warriors’ history

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Soon to be entering his 15th season with the Warriors, Curry holds the top spot of being the highest earner in the franchise’s history. To date, he has earned around $305,929,066; however, as per his current contract, he will earn around $425 till the age of 38. Last season, he raked in $48,070,014, which was the biggest salary during the 2022-23 season.

USA Today via Reuters

Apart from Curry, Klay Thompson holds the second spot with a $226,333,321 salary earned so far in his NBA career. The third of the trio, Green, is in third place, as he earned around $156,720,879 so far in his career.

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Watch This Story: Shortly after bidding Jordan Poole adieu, Stephen Curry welcomes his latest Warriors teammate on Elon Musk’s new rival endeavor 

Poole had the opportunity to be 4th or 5th on the all-time list; unfortunately, he is not even in the top 10 after only making $10.09 million in his 4-year tenure with the Warriors. Nevertheless, he will earn his money as a Wizards player now; more than that, he will be itching to get back on the court and prove all his doubters wrong in the upcoming season.

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Written by:

Debkinkar Maity

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Debkinkar Maity is an NFL Writer at EssentiallySports. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from a premier institution. He specializes in covering a wide range of themes, including trade updates and fan reactions, among others.
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Edited by:

Saumya Khanduja