Still in Awe Over Trade, Charles Barkley Says Warriors ‘Really Hated Jordan Poole’

The decision by Golden State to trade the young guard for Chris Paul left the TNT analyst in awe, and weeks later, he still can’t understand the move.

Following a disappointing second-round playoff exit, the Warriors were bound to make an offseason change in some fashion. Draymond Green and Jordan Poole‘s futures were obvious points of discussion following a punch that sent NBA fans into a frenzy.

Golden State ultimately decided to trade Poole, who had signed a four-year, $128 million contract extension before last season. The eventual deal sent the 24-year-old guard to the Wizards, along with two other players and picks, in exchange for Chris Paul.

While many fans, analysts and even players were left stunned by the trade, NBA legend and current analyst Charles Barkley finds himself still baffled weeks after the deal. Barkley spoke to NBC Sports Bay Area and could only recite the same sentiment over and over.

“They hated Jordan Poole,” Barkley said. “They really hated Jordan Poole. That’s the No. 1 thing I said to myself: They really hated Jordan Poole.”

As NBC Sports Bay Area also revealed, not everyone in the Warriors organization loved the idea of trading the young guard, “particularly knowing he would be swapped out for someone with so little remaining career.” This didn’t change the result, and it would have been hard to envision an outcome that included both Green and Poole on Golden State’s roster for another season.