Getty Andre Iguodala reacts to a play in a game against the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Golden State Warriors decided to hold onto wing Kelly Oubre Jr. at last season’s trade deadline, and now the decision could lead to the return of a different fan-favorite player, an insider suggests.
The Warriors reportedly fielded offers for Oubre ahead of the deadline last season, but opted to hold onto him in the hopes that he could contribute to a playoff run. The move ultimately backfired, with Oubre missing the end of the season with an injury and the Warriors failing to win their way out of the play-in tournament and into the playoffs. Though Oubre is now headed toward free agency, a report speculates that the Warriors could still find a way to squeeze some value out of him.
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Sign-and-Trade Possibilities for Oubre
As Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer noted, Oubre would seem to be a prime target for a sign-and-trade deal for the Warriors. He noted that both Oubre and Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie have a similar market, with the Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Miami Heat all showing some level of interest in both.
Sending Oubre to South Beach and bringing back a former NBA Finals MVP is one potential scenario, Fischer wrote.
“Miami could send either Goran Dragic or Andre Iguodala back in either scenario. Both players have team options for the 2021-22 season, therefore Miami would need to exercise those options in this hypothetical.”
There is widespread belief that Oubre will be playing somewhere other than the Bay Area next season. The expected return of Klay Thompson means he would likely move to the bench, and the team’s luxury tax situation makes it very difficult to justify the price. ESPN’s Bobby Marks noted that this would be the fourth time in five years that the Warriors are a luxury tax team, which increases the penalties.
Kelly Oubre: “I’m young; 25 years old… one of the youngest free agents. I’m continuously growing and elevating my game each and every year. I’m nowhere close to prime… The universe is the limit for me at this point. It’s a beautiful summer for me.”
“So if you’re paying $60 million in luxury tax, it might be $120 million now. So to bring back Kelly Oubre, it might cost you $70 million on a $15 million contract, so you’re paying for an $85 million player,” Marks said, via NBC Sports Bay Area.
Another Path for Iggy to Return
There are others who see a potential return for Iguodala next season, even if it doesn’t come through a sign-and-trade deal. Grant Liffman of NBC Sports Bay Area noted that the Warriors front office has stressed the need to bring in some veteran players, and Iguodala could be a target should the Heat decide to part ways with him.
“At 37 years old, Iguodala is not the same player that Warriors fans had come to adore, putting up career-lows in points per game, field goal percentage and assists,” he wrote.
“However, like the Andre of old, he held a veteran leadership role with the team, and even remained relatively healthy for a majority of the season, playing in 63 games and averaging about 21 minutes per contest.”
Liffman envisioned Iguodala playing a key reserve role should he return, supporting Steph Curry much as he did during the team’s run to the NBA Finals.
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