Andre Iguodala Rumors: Lakers, Clippers Front-Runners for Veteran If Bought out

In a Friday appearance on the Lowe Post podcast, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Los Angeles Lakers and L.A. Clippers are clear front-runners to land Memphis Grizzlies swingman Andre Iguodala if a buyout occurs.

"It's the two L.A. teams," Wojnarowski told ESPN's Zach Lowe. "It's the Lakers and it's the Clippers. If there is a buyout at some point and if Memphis can't trade him, that's where that will come down to those two teams. Memphis is willing to hold on to him, and Iguodala is OK with sitting right now."

The versatile 15-year veteran averaged 5.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 23.2 minutes per game last season for the Golden State Warriors, who traded him to Memphis in the offseason.

Iguodala won three championships and made two others in six seasons with the Warriors. Prior to his Golden State stint, the former Arizona Wildcat played eight seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers and spent one year with the Denver Nuggets.

Talk of a potential buyout began soon after the June 30 trade, with ESPN's Stephen A. Smith reporting on his radio show (h/t Drew Shiller of NBC Sports) that was the plan from Iguodala's side in order to engineer a move to the Lakers.

"He has basically -- according to sources -- informed everybody he's going to work out a buyout and then go to the Lakers. So Andre Iguodala is planning on joining the Lakers from what we're being told. I don't know how true that is, whether or not it is going to definitively happen. But that is the plan at this particular moment in time."

Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic also reported on July 15 that the Clippers and Houston Rockets were interested in a trade, but nothing materialized. 

Any potential that Iguodala would ever suit up for the Grizzlies evaporated on Sept. 23 when David Cobb of the Memphis Commercial Appeal reported Iguodala agreed to be kept on the trading block in return for not reporting to training camp.

Iguodala signed a three-year, $48 million deal with the Warriors in 2017, making him a free agent this upcoming offseason.

Until then, it's a wait-and-see game for Iguodala with the NBA season set to begin on Oct. 22. The Lakers and Clippers will face each other that evening.