Open thread: So... last guesses on Andre's return?
Open thread: So... last guesses on Andre's return?
I have no idea
A lot of smoke and no fire yet. Everyone jumped on the same single source, Marc Stein’s Substack. But to me this has no actual news content. Andre is making the decision, the team has a guess but doesn’t really know.
From NBCSports:
NBA insider Marc Stein reported the news Sunday in his Substack newsletter: "The Warriors, I’m told, do expect Iguodala to play for one more season but are prepared for any outcome, and are also open to bringing the 18-year veteran back on his timetable."
Golden State is holding a roster spot for Iguodala, who is expected to announce his decision to retire or come back for another season on the “Point Forward” podcast, a show he co-hosts with former NBA teammate Evan Turner.
“I will be making my -- what’s a synonym for decision? -- announcement, stake, my future, on 'Point Forward,' " Iguodala said on a recent podcast episode.
According to a league source, there is a “growing belief” that he will delay retirement another year and sign a minimum contract with Golden State.
This is presumably a different source than Marc Stein’s. Nonetheless, this still isn’t news.
Do you have a guess on what Andre will decide?
Vote here:
More Context
From Slater’s Athletic piece:
Iguodala has stated his lack of interest in coaching. His post-career opportunities extend beyond the game and he appears intent on exploring them once his playing days are through. So the only way for the Warriors to keep him around the team daily is through a roster spot. The Miami Heat have done it for years with Udonis Haslem.
But there’s a difference between the Haslem and Iguodala situations. Haslem, even when physically able, is never part of Miami’s rotation. He hasn’t been for a half-decade. He occupies a roster spot but fully embraces an assistant coaching role. Iguodala, conversely, has previously expressed an intention to leave the game when he can no longer play it and, as recently as last season, remained an effective rotation option during the 38 games he was active.
Iguodala played a key role in several of the Warriors’ best road wins last season. He was great during an opening night win in Staples Center over the Lakers, had 12 points, two blocks and a game-sealing strip of Jaylen Brown in Boston and, in a comeback win in Utah without Draymond Green, he hit a pair of dagger 3s after spreading around eight assists.
“They’ve dumbed down the game a lot,” Iguodala told me last March. “So even if the body’s not where I want it to be, I can exist out there without being a liability to the team.”
But the nagging injuries piled up. He had his right knee drained repeatedly in the early portion of the season. A hip issue popped up. His back began bothering him. In the playoffs, he couldn’t seem to get past a neck problem that made it difficult for him to turn his head.
From Kawakami’s Athletic interview with Bob Myers:
“Yeah, we’re getting near that point,” Myers said. “I don’t know what he’s going to do. I hope he plays for us. … I really think he’s important to our season. Andre’s one of those guys, he’s got a great respect level about him, he’s got a great presence. He is one of the few people in the world that can look at Curry or Draymond or Klay in the eye and meet them at their level, but also grab a Jordan Poole or (James) Wiseman or (Jonathan) Kuminga and speak to them and encourage them. There’s no one else in the league that can do that for our team. And we think he can still play and help us in certain spots.
“We really want him back. This isn’t like a charity thing, it’s not, oh, you know, ‘We can’t not say yes to Andre because he’s won championships.’ We have pursued him more than he has pursued us. But we’ve also left him that grace to let him make a decision on his own. Because he’s earned that, too. He’s played in the NBA long enough, he knows what it is, he’s played in our organization. If he wants to come back, we’d love to have him, and if he doesn’t, I’m sure he’s got a thousand things he could do. …
“It’s unequivocal in the organization. There’s not a guy who doesn’t want him back in a big way. So we’re hoping he comes back. You’re right, it’s coming down to decision time. But you don’t push Andre Iguodala, I’ll tell you that.”
If they allowed kicked balls, this is what the NBA would be like (70 yard Soccer goal)
https://twitter.com/TheAthletic/status/1573143867435589632/video/1
Almost everyone has Steph ranked #2 behind Giannis, ESPNRank has him #5. Ok, boomers.