Getty Andre Iguodala dribbles the ball against the Brooklyn Nets during the second quarter of Golden State's game at Barclays Center on December 6, 2015 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.
To this point, the Nets’ 2021 offseason has been relatively slow and underwhelming. It shouldn’t come as a surprise: With three max contracts on the roster in Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks doesn’t have much wiggle room to work with.
Still, as a top title contender, the Nets are a preferred destination for many top-tier role players and aging veterans who are hoping for a shot at a championship.
Case in point: Andre Iguodala. The three-time NBA champion and 2015 Finals MVP has narrowed down his list of landing spots in free agency to the Nets, Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors, according to a report on Thursday by Shams Charania of The Athletic.
“Iguodala became a free agent when Miami declined his option for the upcoming season, and now Iguodala will take time to decide on his next NBA destination,” Charania said.
Three-time NBA champion Andre Iguodala narrows his playing choices to three teams:
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Iguodala Would Give Nets Valuable Depth
At 37 years old, Iggy is well past his prime at this point. For his career, he’s averaged 11.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game. But over the past two seasons, the 6-foot-6 guard has averaged only 4.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 0.8 steals while playing for the Miami Heat. An All-Star in 2012, he managed only a 38% shooting clip from the floor last season.
Then again, the Nets aren’t looking for another player who is going to stuff the stat sheet. Their interest in Iguodala boils down to his veteran leadership, high basketball IQ and championship pedigree — which goes hand-in-hand with being able to trust him in big-time moments for a title-hopeful squad. Despite his age and increasingly dipping performance, in limited playing time, Iguodala has the look of a potentially valuable option as one of the last few players in the Nets’ rotation.
Before joining the Heat in 2020, Iguodala played for the Golden State Warriors from 2013-19, winning three NBA titles over that span and taking home the Finals MVP award in 2015. He overlapped with Durant for two of those championships, and it’s fair to speculate that Durant could be an important recruiter in the Nets’ pursuit of his former Warriors teammate.
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Iguodala Might Not Be the Only Former All-Star on Nets’ Radar
While the Nets have arguably the best trio of superstars ever assembled on an NBA roster and a solid core behind them, depth is still a lingering concern for a team that was undone by injuries last season.
Brooklyn would be in trouble if it had to lean on Iguodala for a major impact, but that wouldn’t be the case with an asset like, say, LaMarcus Aldridge.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Wednesday that LaMarcus Aldridge is seriously considering a return to the NBA for the 2021-22 season. Aldridge, a seven-time All-Star, signed with the Nets in March only to abruptly announce his retirement in mid-April after experiencing an irregular heartbeat. The 36-year-old had been bought out by the San Antonio Spurs, allowing him to join a title contender in the Nets.
“Aldridge is expected to have conversations with prospective teams in the coming weeks, sources said, and still ultimately needs an individual organization’s medical clearance to sign a contract,” Woj wrote in a story for ESPN on Wednesday. “Nevertheless, Aldridge, 36, has yet to make a final decision on playing again.”
If he does in fact decide to return to the NBA, Aldridge would no doubt have the Nets on his radar again — and vice-versa.
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