Every Golden State Warriors fan — and plenty of NBA enthusiasts — wonders what the franchise will look like once Stephen Curry hangs it up, and understandably so. Plenty of promising guards have arrived hoping to be next, but no one has been up to the task in the limited runway they were given.
Jordan Poole was seen as the logical heir apparent to Steph’s responsibility, largely because his game echoed the Chef’s — until an unfortunate internal event snuffed out any real hope of it ever happening.
Even unexpected role players turned out differently than the Warriors envisioned, sparking that familiar regret — what it could’ve been.
From the obvious choice in Jordan Poole to the under-the-radar growth of Ryan Rollins and Ty Jerome, let’s revisit three former Warriors guards who once looked like they could have shouldered the load after Stephen Curry eventually calls it a career — but who either weren’t given enough time to prosper or were pushed out of the organization.
Jordan Poole helped the Warriors win a championship
Selected 28th overall out of Michigan in the 2019 NBA Draft, Jordan Poole arrived with a ready-made tag — “Splash Nephew” — a nod to the shooting that put him on the Warriors’ radar in the first place. After a rough rookie season, averaging just over eight points on 27% from three, JP didn’t stop improving.
He went from averaging just over 12 points a game in his sophomore year, to 18.5 in his third — and most glorious — season, and finally reaching the 20-point mark in what would turn out to be his fourth and last season in the Bay.
His 2021–22 breakout earned him a four-year, $128 million extension, which he signed on October 16, 2022, a well-deserved one. The Warriors probably don’t win that chip without Poole. He averaged 17 points per game in the playoffs, with two 30-point games, five 20-point games, and some unforgettable moments — including a buzzer-beater in the Finals that might just be the best Poole memory in a Warriors uniform.
In 2022–23, he continued to showcase his shooting and developed his playmaking — especially in Stephen Curry’s absence. It was by far his best season scoring-wise, as he topped 40 points twice and had 11 30-point outings. However, his brilliance didn’t translate to the playoffs this time around, as he managed just over 10 points per game on 25% from distance and some egregrious defense.
In the ensuing offseason — after the internal fallout involving Draymond Green — Poole’s Warriors story ended abruptly. He was traded to the Washington Wizards as part of the deal that brought Chris Paul to San Francisco.
Then things went downhill. After averaging 19 points a game over two seasons in the capital, he was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans in the summer of 2025. And now, heading into the February 5 trade deadline, he’s fallen out of the rotation and is being actively shopped. A sad way to see his career unravel after such a promising, exciting start.
Ryan Rollins has grown specatuclatly since departing the Warriors
Rollins was selected 44th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft and was traded to Golden State on draft night. However, he never managed to crack the rotation and played only 12 games for the Warriors before being shipped out to Washington as a part of the Poole–Paul trade, largely as a contract facilitator. His Wizards tenure didn’t last long, as he got waived on January 8, 2024 following shoplifting allegations.
Milwaukee switfly gave him another chance in February 2024, signing him to a two-way deal that would bear fruit. After a season and a half of minor contributions, Rollins has taken a huge leap this season, averaging 16.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.5 assists so far and becoming one of the better breakout stories in the league.
Despite being initially known as a defensive guard, he has displayed real offensive prowess, hitting 30 points twice — including a career-high 32 (plus eight assists) against his former team, the Warriors, with Giannis Antetokounmpo in street clothes. From two-way flier to locked-in starter, Rollins has forced his way into the MIP conversation — and it’s fair to ask whether the Warriors let one slip.
Ty Jerome had a solitary season at the Warriors
Unlike the other two, Jerome wasn’t drafted by the Warriors, but brought in on a two-way contract in October 2022. When Curry went down for an extended period of time during the 2022–23 season, Ty got an opportunity to step in and show his potential. He played in 45 games, highlighted by two 20-point games and six double-figure outings. The Warriors decided not to re-sign him in the summer of 2023, and the Cavaliers, in need of a steady backup point guard, took the bet on Jerome.
He signed a two-year deal that started on a sad note, as he suffered an ankle injury early in the season that required surgery, ending his year. In his second season in Cleveland, he proved to be the ideal backup for Donovan Mitchell, averaging 12.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists in the 70 games he appeared in, contributing to the Cavs finishing first in the Eastern Conference with a 64–18 record.
After a disappointing playoff run, Jerome entered free agency in the summer of 2024. As the Cavaliers hesitated to resign him, Memphis didn’t — and snatched him with a three-year, $28 million contract. After missing the first 46 games of the season due to a calf strain, Jerome finally made his Grizzlies debut on January 31, putting up 20 points and six assists, then followed it up with 19 points and eight assists against Minnesota earlier this week.
In a perfect world, Jerome would be thriving as Steph Curry’s backup point guard.
The post-Curry question
Warriors fans could torture themselves imagining how great Golden State’s backcourt would look had they kept all three, but that wouldn’t be good for anyone’s mental health. Figuring out who will actually take over the reins is a smarter use of energy — and right now, it’s an intricate question.
Brandin Podziemski has proclaimed himself as Steph’s successor, but he still needs to convince Dub Nation. Jonathan Kuminga, if he and Steve Kerr can patch things up, has the potential to play a major role in the post-Curry era.
Whatever — let’s leave that for the future and simply enjoy what we’ve got left of Curry’s greatness while we can.
