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In the wake of the Golden State Warriors‘ championship victory over the Boston Celtics in June, there was a thought that we may have seen the last of Andre Iguodala as an NBA player. The four-time champ and 2015 Finals MVP was 38, after all, and he had just completed a campaign largely spent on the injured list.
Alas, Stephen Curry, Steve Kerr and the rest of the Dubs core was able to talk him into coming back for a final go-round in the gold and blue. And one of the big things they sold him on was the fact that his value went beyond just being an elder statesman and locker room leader.
“They helped me see my presence outside of physically playing basketball, but also, I think Steve was a big culprit of, ‘We really need you on the court.’ Draymond was big on that as well,” Iguodala said after announcing he was coming back.
Flash forward to now, though, and Iguodala has yet to play a single minute for the Dubs this season. With that being the case, Bleacher Report‘s Zach Buckley is pitching a trade to acquire a player who can fill one of Iggy’s key on-court duties.
B/R: Warriors Need Andre Iguodala-Esque Playmaker
It’s no secret that the Warriors’ second unit hasn’t been up to snuff in 2022-23. As of this writing, Golden State’s bench ranks just 29th out of the league’s 30 teams in net rating, having been outscored by 4.5 points per 100 possessions. As Buckley sees it, the shortfall in one key area may be the primary factor in the poor performance.
“There are several reasons behind the struggles with the general lack of experience often cited as the biggest. You could argue, though, that a playmaking shortage has been the main culprit.”
So, how does Iguodala fit into this? Well, during his heyday with the club, getting people into their spots, moving the ball and making the offense go were among his top on-court priorities.
And, for his part, Buckley doesn’t see Iggy reaching a place where he can assume that mantle once more.
“The Warriors need a table-setter to bring this bench together, and they should be able to find a more dynamic option than [Ty] Jerome. Andre Iguodala has handled this role in the past, but since the 38-year-old has yet to make his debut, the Dubs probably shouldn’t plan on him providing much of anything.”
Iguodala’s Return Timetable Remains Shrouded in Mystery
Earlier this month, Warriors coach Steve Kerr updated Iguodala’s situation, indicating that his return to the hardwood was still in the distant future. Never mind the fact that the 19th-year pro had been a regular participant (albeit not with full contact) during the team’s practice sessions.
“We’re more interested in him being healthy in the second half of the season,” Kerr declared on December 1, via The Athletic’s Anthony Slater. “So we’re not going to throw him out there yet.”
Here’s what Iguodala himself had to say on the matter back in late October: “In all honesty, I think we kind of know [how/when the return will play out]. We got a target date, so we ramp it up. We got real good days… some days might take you back, but I think we’re still on the right path.”
Over 31 games with Golden State last season, Iguodala averaged 4.0 points, 3.7 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 0.9 steals in 19.5 minutes per contest.
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Warriors Urged to Seek Trade for Andre Iguodala’s Replacement