The Washington Wizards have been one of the most exciting teams to watch in the NBA preseason, thanks to the emergence of Jordan Poole as a scoring machine. The 22-year-old guard has been averaging over 25 points per game as he ramps up for the official start of the regular season. However, there is already drama in his new house.
What Did Jordan Poole Say to Deni Avdija in Leaked Audio of Their Fight?
Deni Avdija. The Israeli forward, who was drafted ninth overall by the Wizards in 2020, has been struggling to find his role and rhythm in the team.
The tension between Poole and Avdija reached a boiling point during the Wizards’ preseason game against the New York Knicks. Poole was on fire in the first half, and couldn’t miss from three-point land. However, there were several instances where Avdija was wide open on the perimeter, and Poole ignored him to take a tough contested step back threes, which he managed to make.
During a timeout, Poole and Avdija got into a verbal fight, which was caught on a microphone and leaked online. The audio revealed that Avdija was complaining about Poole’s ball-hogging. In response to his criticism, Poole said “You think that’s funny”, to which Avdija responded “I was wide open two times”. Poole then nonchalantly said “nah n****, we good”, which cause Kyle Kuzma to laugh.
The leaked audio has gone viral on social media, where many fans and analysts have criticized Poole for being a bad teammate, who is acting tough now that Draymond Green isn’t around. Green, is known for being a vocal leader and a defensive anchor, but also for having a fiery temper and clashing with his teammates. He now most known for knocking out Jordan Poole.
Considering what was said in the leaked audio of his fight with Deni, it’s very ironic that Poole went 1-15 from the field in his next preseason game against the Raptors.
The leaked audio of the fight shows that the Wizards will have to live with the double-edged sword of allowing Poole to have a green light shooting without any repercussions. On one hand, Poole has shown that he can be a lethal scorer and a potential star in the league. On the other hand, he has also shown that he can be a selfish player, and a disruptive force in the locker room.
The Wizards will have to find a way to balance Poole’s talent and ego, and to integrate Avdija and other players into their offense. Otherwise, they might face more problems than solutions in their quest to make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference.
The question is now is how much of an issue will Kyle Kuzma take, when he’s the one being ignored by Poole?