Warriors to save roster spot for Andre Iguodala

Fans of the Golden State Warriors may be frustrated by the team’s lack of activity during free agency as they’ve opted towards reloading their championship roster through bigger roles for their younger players. However, the impact of last year’s veterans towards winning the title cannot be understated. Since veteran leadership is key to any winning team, it makes sense that Golden State is keeping a roster spot open for longtime Warrior wing Andre Iguodala according to an article by Anthony Slater of The Athletic

The article states that Iguodala is still contemplating his decision to play in what will be his 19^th year in the league next season. Because of his history with the team, the Warriors are giving him all the time he needs to come to the decision on his own terms.

Via The Athletic:

“The Warriors have imposed no firm deadline on an Andre Iguodala retirement-or-return decision. If he opts to play another season, a roster spot will be awaiting him. It’d be easier for the Warriors to piece together their full roster plans if they already knew either way on Iguodala, but this isn’t a decision (or a person) the Warriors can push on a particular timeline.”

At 38 years old, the savvy Warriors vet struggled to stay healthy as nagging injuries kept him out for a majority of the season. He showed glimpses of his elite defensive prowess in the minutes he did play, but ultimately his body could not hold up to the rigors of an NBA schedule. In 31 regular season games, he averaged 4.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in 19.5 minutes per game.

Although he struggled to find playing time on the court, Iguodala provided value to the team in his role as a mentor off the court. Throughout the season, Iguodala could frequently be seen coaching up the team’s younger players. He even played a big role in helping out assistant coach Mike Brown when Steve Kerr was ruled out with COVID-19 during Game 3 of the playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Whether he returns or not, Iguodala has been a fixture of this current Warriors dynasty. His leadership both on and off the court has guided the team to 4 championships during his tenure and he will forever be a favorite of Dub Nation.