The Golden State Warriors are not afraid to spend big money to keep together the team that won the NBA Title last season. The team extended starters Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole over the weekend, with both players inking four-year extensions.
Wiggins will reportedly earn $109 million from his new deal, which translates to $27.25 million on an annual basis. This is significantly less than the $33.6 million he’ll earn in 2022-23, but the 27-year-old said that he had a good reason to give Golden State a discount.
“I’m happy here,” Wiggins told the reporter after the news was made official. “We have a chance to do something special. I believe in what we’re doing here. I believe in the guys, the organization. I’m just glad we got a deal done, I’m happy about it. I have no regrets.”
On the other hand, Poole didn’t give any discounts to the Warriors and will reportedly earn $140 million from his new extension. The 23-year-old still has one year left on his rookie contract.
The Warriors’ decision to pay both Wiggins and Poole will result in a significant tax hit, and the team will reportedly be on the hook for around $220 million in taxes alone. However, Golden States’ brass probably believes that the investment is worth it, considering the contributions of the duo in 2022-23.
Wiggins averaged 17.2 points per game during the regular season while shooting an impressive .393 from the three-point line. His point average dropped to 16.5 points in the playoffs, but he more than compensated for that with a stout defense.
Poole, on the other hand, had a career year that saw him score 18.5 points per game in 76 regular-season games. He followed that up by averaging 17.0 points and 3.8 assists per game during the postseason.
