The most expensive contracts doled out by the Warriors this season will undoubtedly go to Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry, but the key target of the summer for Bob Myers and company looks like it could be Andre Iguodala. A new report out from Shams Charania of The Vertical says Iguodala plans to “seriously consider other teams” when free agency begins next month.
This news comes as a bit of a surprise, as it had been widely reported that Iguodala’s inevitable return to Golden State was all but agreed upon. Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group said on KNBR last week that Iguodala and the Warriors would only have to focus on the length of a deal in their negotiations.
Other reports about the Dubs and their 2015 Finals MVP mentioned the $8-12 million range for an expected annual salary if and when he re-signed. However, Charania’s latest report indicated that people around the league think a player like Iguodala could garner closer to $20 million per year on the open market. Iguodala just completed a four-year deal with the Warriors that paid him about $12 million per year. Charania listed the Jazz, Clippers, Bulls, Timberwolves and Hawks as teams who are expected to pursue the veteran.
Iguodala’s importance to the Warriors can not be overstated. As part of the notorious Super Death Lineup, Iguodala was on the court for nearly every key moment over the past four years. Even in Game 5 of this year’s Finals, which could wind up being his last game as a Warriors, the 33-year-old scored 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting.
If he left in free agency, it would be nearly impossible to find another available player that could be signed to replace Iguodala. The Warriors’ front office has an important task at hand to work on locking up Iguodala should he wind up receiving significant interest from others. This offseason just got a bit more interesting.