This offseason for the Golden State Warriors marks the start of a new dawn for the whole organization. The dynasty has officially come to an end, and the Warriors — for the first time in quite a long while — will no longer be entering the new season as the perennial favorites to take the title.
In what was a whirlwind of a summer for the Warriors, the team parted ways with two of the most important players that helped make the Warriors the dominant force they once were. Two-time Finals MVP winner Kevin Durant decided to take his talents to the Brooklyn Nets, while long-time servant Andre Iguodala was sent packing to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Nevertheless, the Warriors will never forget the contributions these two stars so selflessly provided for the team over the past few years. In this respect, team owner Joe Lacob himself reiterated the fact that Golden State has every intention of retiring the jersey numbers of both Durant and Iguodala, in an ultimate sign of respect and gratitude for these two former Warriors.
“The intention is to retire [Durant's] number, but we specifically said it that way, for now,” Lacob told Tim Kawakami on the renowned writer's ‘The TK Show' podcast. “Because he’s still playing, it's kind of inappropriate to some extent to say you're gonna retire his number when he's still playing in the league, but that's the intention.”
Lacob shared a similar sentiment when asked about Iguodala's famed No. 9 jersey.
“We always wanna be gracious. I’ve said all along, he and any player like Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala, whoever it is, a free agent, it's their choice. They earned it,” Lacob said. “They have the right to make the choice they want to make.”
This is a very classy move from the Warriors organization, and it is only right that they honor these two athletes for their immeasurable contributions for the franchise.
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