Iguodala: Warriors 'Kind of' Disrespecting Curry, Thompson, Green with Younger Roster
The Golden State Warriors have a unique team, one that is built to win now behind Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins, but also one positioned well for the future with young players like James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and Jordan Poole.
Dubs veteran Andre Iguodala isn't exactly a fan of that approach to roster building, however.
"It's just, you know, it kind of disrespects the former era," he told The Athletic's Anthony Slater on Monday. "But I also don't think you're giving the new era the opportunity to grow and be kids, throwing that all on them and it's not deserving. It's just my perspective. Could be wrong."
Slater reported that Iguodala has served as a "willing mentor" to those younger players, even if the veteran joked that Golden State "isn't paying me" to serve as a de facto assistant coach.
It's the type of role he's had more time to fill in the 2021-22 season, however, as knee, hip and back issues have limited him to just 26 games. Since he last played on Feb. 7, the Dubs have gone just 7-14, falling to 48-27 and third in the Western Conference, a whopping 13 games behind the top-seeded Phoenix Suns (61-14).
When he's played, the Warriors have gone 17-9, with Iggy providing valuable minutes off the bench. He's averaged just 4.1 points, 3.8 assists and 3.3 rebounds in 19.9 minutes, but his ability to contribute defensively alongside his experience has aided the Warriors.
Iguodala is expected to return on Monday night against the Memphis Grizzlies, which should give the team a boost as it closes out the regular season.
"That'll be a welcome sight," Klay Thompson told Slater of Iggy's return. "I miss playing with him. He's so smart. He's always in the right position defensively. Offensively, he makes the right plays, knocks down clutch shots. He's just Andre Iguodala, Finals MVP and a guy who has been so valuable to this franchise. I'm just very excited he's coming back. I just miss playing with him."
It's been a strange season in San Francisco, with Thompson returning in January after missing nearly 2.5 seasons and James Wiseman never appearing in game and now out for the year after undergoing a meniscus repair in the offseason. Green and Curry have also missed chunks of the season due to injury.
The Dubs haven't had much time to grow chemistry, as they've consistently had multiple players out. Getting Iguodala back will certainly help in that cause for a team that still has title aspirations, however.
