The Golden State Warriors could be heading into the start of a new era. After winning their fourth title in eight NBA seasons, the Big 3 of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are still prominent parts of the rotation. They will remain together for at least one more season, but the front office and ownership do have to start preparing for life after them.
The team retained another part of that core, which head coach Steve Kerr refers to as the “foundational six” when Kevon Looney re-signed this offseason. The team is still waiting to see if another long-time member of the team will come back in Andre Iguodala.
Iguodala appeared in only 31 regular season games and seven in the postseason. The time has likely passed for him to be a major contributor in the rotation, but there is still a lot of value that he can provide for the team.
Should he want to play, the Warriors will have a spot for him. But, Kerr allows him the space to make that decision on his own time as he just leaves him alone.
“I leave Andre alone,” Kerr told The Athletic’s, Anthony Slater. “He knows where we stand. If he wants to come back, we’d love to have him. The one thing we feel strongly about with Andre is we want to give him whatever space and time he needs to make a decision. I’m leaving him alone. Whenever he makes his decision is fine with us.”
While he may not be able to produce big numbers on the court any longer, Andre Iguodala is invaluable when it comes to the locker room. His voice is an important one, especially when it comes to the younger players.
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This past season, Jordan Poole broke out and became an integral part of the rotation, playing a big role in their postseason success. He is eligible for a rookie extension this offseason and could be part of the next core of what the Warriors are hoping is another dynastic run.
He was the first of what the organization hopes is a wave of young players to help keep them competitive for years to come. Iguodala’s presence is important to strike that balance between the young players and veterans.
“We had a great mentoring system in place this year, with all these young guys playing with our vets who had seen it all,” Kerr told reporters in May. “Andre, in particular, was just incredible this year and continues to be so with his counseling and advice.
“He does it in a way only Andre can, with humor and sarcasm and cryptic messaging.”
Right now the Golden State Warriors have 13 guaranteed contracts on the roster. They normally keep the 15th spot open to have some flexibility heading into the regular season. That 14th spot is being held for Andre Iguodala, as it is his should he want to return for a 19th season in the NBA.
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