There has been much discussion centered on whether Andre Iguodala will return for his 19th season in the NBA and his eighth with the Golden State Warriors, but his status remains up in the air. Iguodala earlier said that he will be announcing his career plans on his podcast with former Philadelphia 76ers teammate Evan Turner, but the Warriors need his answer soon with training camp approaching.
In fact, the Warriors will be beginning their training camp earlier than the September 27 date due to their scheduled preseason games against the Washington Wizards in Japan on September 30 and October 2, making Andre Iguodala's impending free agency decision the Warriors' most-pressing question in the short term.
Nonetheless, Warriors fans need not worry, as Iguodala is, likelier than not, expected to return to The Bay even if it doesn't happen imminently, according to Marc Stein (subscription required).
“The Warriors, I’m told, do expect Iguodala to play for one more season but are prepared for any outcome and are also open to bringing the 18-year veteran back on his timetable,” Stein wrote.
Iguodala, now 38 years old, has definitely seen better days in his playing career. During the 2021-22 season, Iguodala posted career-lows in points and shooting efficiency, compensating for his decline with his indispensable basketball IQ and leadership.
In fact, Iguodala's mere presence in the locker room will provide such a huge boost to the Warriors, with Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and James Wiseman prime candidates to absorb Iguodala's sage advice. The Warriors will soon hand over the keys of the franchise to that core, with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green in the latter halves of their careers, and there's no better man than Iguodala to help develop those youngsters into worthy successors.
Steve Kerr and the rest of the Warriors brass will be hoping that Andre Iguodala makes his return in their bid to defend their championship. The Warriors believe that Iguodala, despite his lack of athleticism and shooting, provide more winning value to their team than anyone else they can sign on a minimum deal and they're right.
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