The Golden State Warriors were persistent in their pursuit of former Denver Nuggets swingman Andre Iguodala. After rumors of mutual interest surfaced last summer, in early July Golden State was involved in a three-team trade that sent Andre Iguodala to the Warriors; Randy Foye to the Denver Nuggets, and former Warriors Richard Jefferson, Andris Biedrins and Brandon Rush to the Utah Jazz.
“Iggy” averaged 13 points, 5.4 assists and 5.3 rebounds while playing for Denver last season. At 6’6” and 207 pounds, Iguodala is able to play both shooting guard and small forward, making him one of the most versatile players in the NBA.
With the Warriors’ acquisition of Iguodala, Harrison Barnes will likley be coming off of the bench as a sixth man. Iguodala will almost definitely be the starting small forward, giving Golden State a legitimately dangerous starting five: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, David Lee and Andrew Bogut.
Iguodala also adds valuable experience - last season the Warriors starters were the 25-year-old Stephen Curry, 23-year-old Klay Thompson, 21-year-old Harrison Barnes, 29-year-old David Lee and either 24-year-old Festus Ezeli or 28-year-old Andrew Bogut. Last season, Jarrett Jack took on the role of veteran leader for the Warriors. He was able to give advice to the young players and steer them in the right direction - now that Jack is gone, Iguodala—who will be entering his 9th year in the NBA—will likely take over as the team's veteran leader.
When it comes to offense, Iguodala will take some of the responsibility from point guard Stephen Curry. Last season Curry was the team's primary playmaker - he carried Golden State through both the regular season and the playoffs. Watching the first round of the 2013 playoffs, Iguodala was one of the primary playmakers for the Denver Nuggets. He has the ability to attack the rim and finish strong, but he also has an eye for finding his open teammates in the right position finish off a play - Iguodala averages almost six assists per game.
The Warriors had one of the strongest offenses in the NBA last season, and this season should be no different. With Iguodala as an additional playmaker, Curry will be getting more opportunities to shoot, and could even break his own record for most three-pointers made in a season – Curry broke Ray Allen’s NBA record by draining 272 three-pointers last year.
Iguodala is able to guard some of the league's most elite shooters - he helped the Nuggets allow 4.4 fewer points per 100 possessions while he was on the floor. The Warriors have always lacked strong defenders; Iguodala will be able to contribute on the defensive end, improving Golden State's game at both ends of the court.
The Warriors' decision to sign Iguodala may be one of the key factors for imminent success. Golden State is a team on the rise, and Iguodala is a step in the right direction for their pursuit of an NBA championship.
Do you want to "get to know" more of the new Warriors? Follow the links below:
Get to know your Warriors: Seth Curry
Get to know your Warriors: Marreese Speights
Get to know your Warriors: Jermaine O'Neal
Get to know your Warriors: Toney Douglas
Get to know your Warriors: Nemanja Nedovic
Get to know your Warriors: Ognjen Kuzmic
Get to know your Warriors: Dewayne Dedmon
Back to the Golden State Warriors Newsfeed