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Injuries to Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins have forced Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala to play extended minutes during the postseason.
Before a calf injury kept the 15 year veteran out of game four of the Western Conference Finals, he averaged close to 30 minutes in a four game span which included game 6 of the Rockets’ series.
When asked about the severity of his injury, Iguodala not only chalks it up to age and miles, he gives the press a hint that he may be contemplating retirement soon.
“Just a lot of minutes and overuse — I’m old,” Iguodala told reporters after Saturday’s practice, “It [calf] flared up real quick, but we have a good training staff. When you’ve been playing for five long seasons, it’s bound to come up. It’s rare that you see it. It’s hard for it to be realized. My career is almost over anyway. So I don’t really care.”
Iguodala has one year left on his three-year , $48 million contract. But before deciding to play after this season, he’s focused on the 2019 NBA Finals matchup with the Toronto Raptors and a chance to three peat.
“We have a tough series ahead, but I am going to enjoy it. I’m about done playing anyway,” he said.
This isn’t the first time that Iguodala alluded to retirement this season. In November, Iguodala told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole that he was considering hanging them up.
“I could play a legit five more years, but I’ll probably max out at three more after this year” Iguodala said.
To add even more speculation, Iguodala has a forthcoming memoir on the horizon to be released after the Finals. According to the synopsis, The Sixth Man traces Iguodala’s journey from his childhood in his Illinois hometown to the Bay Area home court today.
Whether or not retirement is eminent for Iguodala remains to be seen. However, the Warriors are making sure the 35-year-old will be ready for Game one in Toronto by holding him out of practice other than shooting, and allowing him to get treatment on his right calf.