Should the warriors move Wiggins to the bench and start Poole when Klay comes back?

With the Warriors slated to begin what hopes to be a promising season next week, there are still many questions surrounding what the team will look like upon Klay Thompson’s return.

While there has not been a distinct timetable laid out for Thompsons return, I think that is safe to assume that he will be rejoining the team in the latter half of the season.

Upon his return, the Warriors will be faced with a very big decision. Who will start alongside the Splash Brothers? Jordan Poole or Andrew Wiggins?

Poole has been on a tear in the preseason, not missing a step from where he left off last season, and if anything, it looks like he may have found a new gear. Every preseason game so far has featured a big Poole highlight or two. Quite honestly, he looks like a different player, his game has become much more polished just as the Dubs had hoped when they selected him 28th in the 2019 NBA draft.

Conversely, Wiggins is coming off a career year where he shot the ball at an extremely high rate and greatly improved as an on-ball defender. Additionally, Wiggins has experience as a starter and has shown competency at playing extended minutes either with the starters or the bench players.

I think that when Klay does return, the smart decision would be to start Wiggins. Wiggins has proven in his tenure with the Warriors that he does not always need the ball to create scoring opportunities. Also, with Klay coming back it’s doubtful that Kerr and staff will be expecting him to guard the Western Conference’s best guards night in and night out like he has in the past. This is where we can see Wiggins step up and take some of the pressure off Klay on the defensive end of the floor.

This is not a knock on Poole at all.

He has shown the organization a lot in the tail end of last year and through four preseason games this year. In doing so, he deserves a fair shake in this decision. There is something to be said about how far he has come in such a short time and earning a starting role would more than likely help him grow further.

Presumably, Poole will start a good amount of games before Klay’s return, as will Wiggins. This will give the Warriors a chance to gain some clarity on who they would like to roll with when the time comes to adjust the starting lineup.

I think that when you break it down, Poole coming off the bench will be better for not only him but the team as a whole.

For instance, He won’t be asked to guard Russell Westbrook or Luka Dončić for 30 minutes while also focusing on offensive production. Rather, he can come into the game and provide a spark for the offense while also contributing to defensively in whatever manner he can.

It seems like a very tall task to ask such a young guy who is just now beginning to see his hard work pay off to go out and defend all-star caliber shooting guards every night. I’d rather let him continue to build confidence so that eventually he is ready to contribute at a high level on both ends of the floor. For the time being, Wiggins is a great choice to play alongside Steph and Klay and will help them on the defensive side of the ball as Klay begins to work himself back into game shape.

Poole, however, is on a fast track to inevitably be a solidified NBA starter. It’s critical his path to get there is carved out tactfully.

(Photo credit: Jeff Chiu / Associated Press)