Is Jordan Poole earning his place as a starting guard again?

This hasn't been a good season for Jordan Poole or the Washington Wizards, as both have failed to deliver on their potential. But things have been even worse for Poole, who left a championship team for the worst in the league and whose skills have decreased.

However, he has recently shown some signs of progress, which could be very helpful, even though this season is now a lost cause.

For most of the season, Poole played alongside side point guard Tyus Jones. Poole's role changed from the one he had with the Golden State Warriors and the Wizards relied on him for more of a catch-and-shoot position.

He didn't thrive. Alongside Jones, Poole averaged 15.6 points and shot just 40% from the field and 30.3% from the three-point line. Those are bad numbers for a starting player.

So interim head coach Brian Keefe placed Poole on the bench. That is, until Jones was recently injured. Upon Jones' injury, Poole once again joined the starting five.

Since returning to the starting group, Poole has averaged 20.5 points and his assists and rebounds have increased too. Even his three-point shooting stepped up, climbing to 36.7%.

Does that mean that Poole will be a starter for the rest of the season? It's very possible, considering the team has been eliminated from the playoffs and only has a few weeks before summer vacation. If Poole can keep improving his numbers and contributing, fans might have a sliver of hope to look forward to in the next season.