The Warriors have, at least briefly, pulled themselves out of their recent funk with three straight wins after a four game losing streak that came on the heels of the drama between Kevin Durant and Draymond Green.
Making matters even better for Golden State is that Steph Curry and Green are expected to be back on the court fairly soon, and DeMarcus Cousins is hopeful to make his debut after Christmas. All of that figures to put to rest any concerns about their status as title favorites for this season, but the future remains cloudy with Durant’s impending free agency.
While Durant, Klay Thompson, and Green (in 2020) are the soon-to-be free agents most figure to have the biggest impact on the future of the dynasty, but Andre Iguodala’s presence has long been under-appreciated for what he brings to the Warriors. Iguodala was the Finals MVP of their first championship and he’s long been a key cog behind their star triumverate (now quadrumvirate) and is a steadying hand as a secondary ball-handler and a strong defensive presence.
Iguodala is under contract for one more year after this season, but he recently hinted at an earlier departure should things not end in a championship for the Warriors this season in an interview with Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area.
“I’m going to be done soon,” he told NBC Sports Bay Area this week. “I could probably play a legit five more years, but I’ll probably max out at three more after this year – maybe three more.
“But if I’m not here, that will weigh heavily on what I will do. I possibly have another year here – if we win. That’s it. I know that. I’m fine with it.”
Iguodala seems to be indicating that the Warriors could part ways with him this summer if they aren’t champions, and he also notes that his basketball career as a whole is likely not going to last much more than three more years. At 34 years old, that’s not a shocker, but his departure from Oakland will certainly leave a void that will be difficult to fill, not just on the court but in the locker room.
Whenever Iguodala does decide to hang it up, he’ll have quite the career to look back on. He was once a lead star in Philadelphia before he learned to embrace the role player lifestyle to achieve championship success. He’ll have at least three championships, a Finals MVP, and one All-Star appearance when he retires, undoubtedly, to play lots of golf.
