Jordan Poole’s night ended before it really got going Wednesday, and now the New Orleans Pelicans have another injury situation to track.
Poole, who was already listed on the injury report because of an illness, sat out the entire first quarter against the Denver Nuggets. He returned for seven minutes in the second quarter, but left after suffering an ankle injury and was ruled out for the rest of the game.
The team said it was his left ankle. There was no immediate word on how severe it might be, so this is one that will need to be watched closely for an update once more information is available.
Before exiting, Poole managed a +8 in his limited time on the floor. He finished with two points, one rebound and one steal in those seven minutes.
The timing is especially frustrating because Poole had been off to a stronger overall start this season. The shot hasn’t been dropping, but nearly everything else had looked more stable. Entering Wednesday, the Pelicans were plus-33.6 points per 100 possessions with him on the court, which was the best mark on the team, even in a small sample.
There was also a separate layer to the story on Wednesday. Shamit Dua of In The No reported that Poole told the team he would be “open to opportunities elsewhere.” A $30 million price tag already made that a tricky situation, and any missed time would only make a deal less likely, even if a contender took interest as the deadline approaches.
New Orleans does have some room to absorb the loss. The addition of Bennedict Mathurin and the need for more Herb Jones minutes already made the rotation puzzle easier to manage. Still, Poole had been bringing value on defense and showing a willingness to move the ball on offense, which makes this setback worth monitoring.
In Other News...
Jordan Poole's Next Move Could Reshape A Market Bulls Fans Know Well
Jordan Pooles situation with New Orleans has already become one of the more interesting subplots around the Pelicans, with his future suddenly looking less secure than it did just a short time ago. According to the report, Poole has informed the team that he would be open to being moved, a notable shift that adds another layer to a roster picture the Pelicans are still trying to sort through.
From there, the speculation gets more specific, with Miami and Sacramento emerging as the most plausible places to watch if the team does decide to explore a deal. Those scenarios are still only analysis, not a confirmed transaction, but they do put the Pelicans in the middle of a market that could move quickly if a trade conversation gains traction. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Trade Talk Just Got Real After New Orleans' 0-3 Start
A rocky 0-3 start has inevitably pushed New Orleans into early-season trade chatter, but the picture around the Pelicans core remains more nuanced than a simple panic move. Marc Stein reported that the team has not shown a willingness to trade Herb Jones, even with Jones seeing limited playing time, and New Orleans has kept a lofty asking price on trade interest in Trey Murphy III as well.
For a team still trying to settle in after an uneven opening week, that matters because it suggests the front office is not treating this as a reset moment. The Pelicans appear more inclined to hold firm on two of their most valued wings than to chase a quick fix, leaving the real question not whether the rumors will swirl, but how long New Orleans stays patient if the losses keep piling up. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Already Have A Bigger Problem Than Their 0-4 Start
The Pelicans rough opening to the season kept rolling at the Smoothie King Center, where Denver handled them 104-91 and extended its winning streak in the matchup to eight games. New Orleans got a season-high 25 points from Zion Williamson, but the Nuggets had answers throughout the night from Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokic, Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon, keeping the game comfortably in their control after the early stretch.
Jamahl Mosley said the Pelicans have to do a better job closing out games and matching Denvers early aggression, and that remains the larger concern hanging over an 0-4 start. The record is one thing, but the way opponents are dictating the tone has become the more troubling trend, especially when New Orleans still has to sort out how to steady itself before games get away from it. [Read more 🡒]