A disastrous tenure defined by inefficiency and a hefty price tag leaves the veteran guard’s future in doubt as New Orleans scrambles to offload his expiring contract.
The New Orleans Pelicans' season did not go as planned, but it was an interesting year for almost all of the players (for better or worse). There were some surprises, some let-downs and a whole lot of information to unpack before building next year's team.
To better understand the team as a whole, it's important to break everything down to the individual level. Here's a look at what went well, what went wrong and an overall grade for Pelicans point guard Jordan Poole's 2026 campaign:
What Went Well
The best thing that Poole contributed this season is being the linchpin of the trade that ended up bringing Saddiq Bey to New Orleans. Almost nothing else worked out, as will be explored further elsewhere.
When the veteran guard did get benched, though, he did do a good job of still being a teammate, not checking out and still being ready for whatever chances he got towards the end of the season. It must have been frustrating for him to sit through, but he handled it well.
What Went Wrong
Almost everything went wrong. Poole ended up playing in just 39 games with a mix of injury issues and just getting benched because he felt unplayable. He averaged 13.4 points, 2.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists on 37.2/33.3/86.0 shooting splits.
He was one of the least efficient scorers in the league this year, turned the ball over a lot and didn't playmake for others well. It always felt a bit like hero ball when he was running the offense and the production didn't match.
The Pelicans had a -4.4 net rating with him on the court, which is one of the lower marks on the team. The only ones lower were the rookies, Kevon Looney and Jordan Hawkins. Not the company that a veteran wants to be in.
Overall Grade - F
There are teams where Poole would fit in much better, but New Orleans just wasn't one. Their offense didn't really fit his skills, which is made worse by the fact that they had to pay him just under $32 million to not play. It's hard to imagine this playing out much worse than it did.
What's Next?
The Pelicans were reportedly trying their best to move on from Poole at the last trade deadline, but couldn't get a deal done. They will almost certainly be back on the market, trying again, as both sides would be better off. It'll likely be easier for them to pull it off this time, though, as he is on an expiring deal. Still, he's set to make $34 million, which could be a hard sell for other teams.