Miami Heat forward Andre Iguodala spent six seasons with the Golden State Warriors, winning three championships, a Finals MVP Award, and making five straight Finals appearances with them. He’s formed a strong bond with his teammates and remains close to them and the Warriors, so much that he has to remind himself that he plays for a different team now.
“I still talk to those guys every day,” Iguodala told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne. “Like, you're not allowed to say anything bad about Steph (Curry) around me, or in general. Even on social media, I'm like, ‘S–t, I've got to stop liking posts from the Warriors or any of the Warriors fan accounts.’
After six seasons with Golden State, Iguodala was traded in the offseason along with a first round pick to the Memphis Grizzlies for Julian Washburn. The move was seen as a way for the Warriors to save cap space, and they later acquired All Star guard D’Angelo Russell in a sign-and-trade package with the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Kevin Durant, who chose to sign with the team. The 36-year old, however, never played for the Grizzlies, and was instead dealt to the Heat in February before the trade deadline.
Even though Iguodala is far removed from his days as an All Star with the Denver Nuggets and the 2015 Finals MVP, he is still an important part of the Heat’s improbably Finals run, which includes a 15-point performance in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics.
Aside from being a solid contributor and a beloved teammate, Warriors coach Steve Kerr has also praised Iguodala’s ability to play mind games at an elite level, something which the Heat can use in the Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. With big man Bam Adebayo questionable for Game 2 of the series on Friday night, the veteran forward will likely see more playing time in his sixth straight Finals appearance.
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