NBA Rumors: Grizzlies Refusing to Engage in Buyout Talks with Andre Iguodala
It seems Andre Iguodala and the Memphis Grizzlies aren't seeing eye to eye.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the Grizzlies want the 35-year-old All-Star to report to training camp while also "refusing right now" to engage a buyout.
Iguodala landed in Memphis when he was traded by the Golden State Warriors, for whom he had played for since 2013, in early July. The Warriors needed to unload his salary to acquire D'Angelo Russell in a sign-and-trade with the Brooklyn Nets.
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Prior to the mention of a buyout, the prospect of the Grizzlies trading Iguodala seemed more likely. At the time, Marc Stein of the New York Times reported that several teams were interested:
Stein added that there was "some belief within league circles" that the Grizzlies were prepared to keep Iguodala unless a team offered a future first-round pick in a trade package to acquire him.
"To this point, I'm told this is what has deterred Denver," The Athletic's Sam Amick responded. "The Nuggets have had significant interest but saw the price as too high."
Iguodala's career started when the Philadelphia 76ers drafted him ninth overall out of Arizona in 2004. From then until 2011-12, his lone All-Star season, he averaged 15.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.7 steals across 615 games—all starts.
He spent the 2012-13 campaign with the Denver Nuggets before being traded to Golden State. While with the Warriors, Iguodala excelled as a sixth man and won three NBA titles while averaging 7.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.1 steals across 413 games (84 starts).
Should Iguodala remain in Memphis for the 2019-20 season, he would add a veteran presence to a very young core consisting of rookie second overall pick Ja Morant and 2018 first-rounder Jaren Jackson Jr.
If the Grizzlies remain firmly against moving Iguodala, it "would prevent Iguodala from finishing his Hall of Fame career on his terms because this may be his final NBA season," per Charania.
The upcoming season is Iguodala's last on his current three-year, $48 million contract.
