Andre Iguodala Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pacific Notes: Wiggins, Warriors, Clippers, Lakers

March 16th, 2023 at 12:47pm CST by Rory Maher

Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins has now missed 13 consecutive games due to undisclosed personal reasons, leading to speculation about why he’s been absent and when he might return. As Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic writes, Wiggins’ teammates know why he’s been gone, but instead of feeling angry or resentful, they’ve expressed “patience and understanding, a little disappointment but a lot of concern.”

“What he’s dealing with,” one player said, “is some real (expletive).”

Wiggins’ privacy deserves to be respected, according to Thompson, and the fact that an organization that has had some very public leaks over the past year-plus — including Wiggins’ vaccine hesitancy last season and Draymond Green punching Jordan Poole during training camp — has kept the matter in-house “says a lot.”

With the team in the midst of its most crucial stretch of the season, and so many major decisions hanging over the franchise, Wiggins being gone is even more amplified. But that doesn’t mean outsiders are entitled to know what’s going on, says Thompson.

“If we’re fine with it,” one player said, “and the people who pay him understand, then so should everyone else.”

Here’s more from the Pacific:

On the bright side for the Warriors, second-year forward Jonathan Kuminga was able to play on Wednesday night after missing the past three games with a sprained ankle, tweets Kendra Andrews of ESPN. Unfortunately, longtime veteran Andre Iguodala broke his left wrist and will undergo surgery next week. Head coach Steve Kerr spoke about losing Iguodala last night, per Mark Medina of NBA.com (Twitter link). “It’s a huge loss. …We’ll see what it means, roster wise. We’ll see how things play out, whether we use the last roster spot on one of our two-way guys or something else comes up,” Kerr said as part of a larger quote.
Law Murray of The Athletic tackles a number of topics in a mailbag column, answering questions about Eric Gordon‘s importance to the Clippers, small-ball lineups, and possible favorable postseason matchups, among others. According to Murray, prior to Wednesday’s victory over Golden State, Gordon had the highest plus-minus on the team in fourth quarters since he was acquired at the trade deadline (plus-46 in 84 minutes).
The Lakers have an open roster spot and a couple of frontcourt players injured in LeBron James and Mohamed Bamba, plus Anthony Davis has been rested on back-to-backs (only one more back-to-back remains on the schedule). Prior to Wednesday’s loss to Houston, in which Davis was out, Kyle Goon of The Southern California News Group asked head coach Darvin Ham if the Lakers had any plans to add another big man with their roster opening. “We feel like we have a good vibe, a good rhythm with the guys that are out there. We’re standing pat for now,” Ham said as part of larger quote. “But the process of trying to improve our roster never changes. We’re constantly looking.”

Andre Iguodala To Undergo Surgery For Fractured Wrist

March 15th, 2023 at 6:17pm CST by Rory Maher

Warriors forward Andre Iguodala suffered a fractured left wrist on Monday against Phoenix and will undergo surgery next week, the team announced (via Twitter).

No timetable was given for Iguodala’s potential return, with the Warriors saying an update will be provided after he has surgery.

Iguodala, 39, seriously contemplated retirement before the 2022/23 season began, but was convinced to come back for one more year with the Warriors. However, he has made just eight appearances this season, averaging 2.1 PPG, 2.1 RPG and 2.4 APG in 14.1 MPG.

It’s unclear if this will mark the end of the 19-year veteran’s career; that might depend on how the Warriors finish out the season as they look to defend their title. It’s possible they might need to win at least one playoff series for Iguodala to make it back in time to play again, as wrist fractures typically take several weeks to heal.

A two-time All-Defensive team member, Iguodala has won four championships with Golden State and was the 2015 Finals MVP. In 1,231 regular season games (32.1 MPG), he holds career averages of 11.3 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 4.2 APG and 1.2 SPG on .463/.330/.709 shooting.

Warriors Notes: Curry, Lamb, Iguodala, Wiggins

March 6th, 2023 at 8:57am CST by Arthur Hill

The Warriors lost to the Lakers Sunday afternoon, but there was optimism in the locker room due to the return of Stephen Curry, writes Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. Playing for the first time since Feb. 4, the two-time MVP had 27 points and six assists in 32 minutes while shooting 5-of-13 from beyond the arc.

Although he was on a minutes restriction, Curry looked fully recovered from the left leg injury that caused him to miss 11 games. He and his teammates are focused on improving their playoff position in the 17 games remaining, hoping to move into the top four in the West and trying to avoid falling into the play-in tournament. Golden State was able to survive for a month without Curry and now has a crucial string of games upcoming against fellow playoff contenders.

“Yeah, especially on the road,” Curry said of the excitement surrounding his comeback. “Brings the best out of you. And like I said, as the game gets deeper into it, you try to meet that intensity and that energy and that level, mentally and physically. It felt great to get thrown back in there right away. … If I get better as the game goes on, it’s always a great sign for me individually. And then our team, even though we lost, there were some bright spots for sure.”

There’s more on the Warriors:

Sunday’s game was the 50th of the season for Anthony Lamb, which marks his limit as a two-way player, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Lamb has been productive all season, but he won’t be able to play any more unless Golden State converts him to a standard contract. The team currently has a full roster, but a 10-day contract for Lester Quinones will expire March 11. “I’d like to have Lamb on the roster,” coach Steve Kerr said after Sunday’s game. “He plays an important role for us because he connects a lot of lineups with his ability to space the floor and shoot the three, and he just plays the way we’ve always played.”
The return of Andre Iguodala could lessen the urgency to work out a new deal with Lamb, Slater adds (Twitter link). The 39-year-old swingman logged 14 minutes Sunday in his first game action since January 13.
The Warriors are being patient with Andrew Wiggins, who is away from the team while attending to a “family matter,” according to Connor Letourneau of The San Francisco Chronicle. Team officials haven’t provided any specifics, but general manager Bob Myers said in a radio interview last week that Wiggins is expected to return before the end of the regular season.

And-Ones: NBPA, Dooling, A. Anderson, Officiating, Elam Ending

February 19th, 2023 at 12:51pm CST by Luke Adams

Celtics forward Grant Williams, formerly a vice president for the National Basketball Players Association, has been elected as the first vice president of the players’ union, per a press release. Williams will take over that role from Andre Iguodala, whose four-year term has expired following his election in 2019.

Since Williams was promoted to first vice president and Kyrie Irving‘s term as an NBPA vice president expired, two new VPs were elected to the union’s executive committee — those new vice presidents are Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. and Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, who will serve three-year terms.

“We are thrilled to have Grant in this elevated position, and we welcome Jaren and Donovan to the executive committee,” NBPA president CJ McCollum said in a statement. “Their experience and ability to connect with the younger players in our league will be imperative as we move forward as a union. I also want to take a moment to thank Andre and Kyrie for their service. Kyrie’s insights have been invaluable since he joined us in 2020, and Andre has been been a key leader for us for more than a decade. Their leadership will be missed but we know they will stay close and continue to support us as we work for the best interests of the brotherhood.”

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Former NBA players Keyon Dooling and Alan Anderson have received prison sentences of 30 months and 24 months, respectively, for their roles in defrauding the NBA’s health and welfare plan, according to Steve Gardner of USA Today. Anderson was one of 18 players originally arrested in 2021 for making fraudulent claims, while Dooling – a former NBPA vice president who was most recently an assistant coach with the Jazz – later had his name added to the criminal case.
Before holding his annual All-Star news conference on Saturday, NBA commissioner Adam Silver also appeared on ESPN’s SportsCenter this week to discuss concerns about load management and officiating, among other topics (YouTube video link). Silver stated that the NBA is exploring ways to use technology to automate certain calls (ie. who last touched an out-of-bounds ball) so that referees can focus more on the more subjective calls they’re required to make (ie. fouls).
Tim Bontemps of ESPN takes a deep dive into the “Elam Ending,” exploring how Nick Elam first came up with the concept and detailing the path it took to being adopted in the NBA’s All-Star Game (as well as the G League’s overtime period).

Warriors Notes: Green, Poole, Iguodala, Attendance Record

January 14th, 2023 at 3:19pm CST by Arthur Hill

While Draymond Green would prefer to finish his career with the Warriors, he tells Taylor Rooks of Bleacher Report “the writing’s on the wall” when it comes to his NBA future (video link).

Green can become a free agent this summer by declining his $27.6MM player option for the 2023/24 season. If he chooses to pick up the option, his expiring contract becomes a valuable trade asset for Golden State, which is already setting records with its luxury tax bill.

Green tells Rooks that he’s aware of all those factors and is at peace with however they play out, even if it means leaving the Warriors after 11 years.

“I understand the business,” he said. “We tend to get into the mindset that someone owes us something because of what we’ve accomplished. … I understand the luxury tax. I understand you got these young guys and contracts up and they have to get paid.”

There’s more on the Warriors:

In the same interview, Green addresses a preseason skirmish with Jordan Poole that resulted in him being fined by the team (video link). Green calls their relationship since the incident “a constant work in progress” and said he continues to try to smooth things over because it’s important to the organization. “I’ll always be willing to continue to do that work because I was wrong,” he said.
Since making his season debut last week, Andre Iguodala has been in an unusual role as the team’s first big man off the bench, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Coach Steve Kerr has been using him to replace Kevon Looney early in games, playing at power forward alongside Green. Iguodala, 39, is still adjusting to his new position after spending his entire career on the perimeter. He hopes to be part of the team’s rotation for the rest of the season. “As long as the body is good, I want to play,” he said. “Then before the playoffs, I’d like to get a good run of 10, 15 games straight no issues. So, yeah, that’s pretty much the plan. I want to get comfortable shooting when I’m tired. Once I get that, I’m fine.”
Warriors officials were honored to be part of San Antonio’s record-setting crowd of 68,323 in Friday’s game at the Alamodome, according to Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. When the Spurs told the league about their plan to play in their former home, they picked a game against Golden State to help drive ticket sales. “We love being part of this stuff,” Warriors president Brandon Schneider said. “It says a lot about us that they wanted us to be the opponent.”

Warriors’ Andre Iguodala Fined $25K By NBA

January 12th, 2023 at 5:11pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The NBA has fined Warriors reserve forward Andre Iguodala $25K, the league announced in a press release (Twitter link).

After being whistled for a technical and ejected from Golden State’s eventual 125-113 loss to the Suns on Tuesday, the 2015 NBA Finals MVP was penalized “for directing inappropriate language” at referees. He also subsequently threw the game ball into the stands at Chase Center, the Warriors’ home court.

The contest against Phoenix marked just Iguodala’s second game of the 2022/23 season so far. He had missed most of the first half of the year with a hip injury. The 6’6″ wing is averaging 12.5 MPG through the two contests this year, along with 1.0 PPG, 1.5 RPG, and 2.0 APG.

Iguodala is currently in his 19th NBA season and eighth non-consecutive season with Golden State. The 38-year-old was a critical on-court contributor for his first three championships with the team, in 2015, 2017 and 2018. Though less impactful on the hardwood in 2021/22, he nevertheless proved to be a valuable locker room leader for his fourth Warriors title this past summer.

During the 2022 offseason, Iguodala inked a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal to play for a final NBA season with the Warriors. It’s been something of a rocky start so far, not just for Iguodala but for the team at large. Weathering long-term injuries to starters Andrew Wiggins and Stephen Curry for much of the season’s first half, Golden State is just 20-21 thus far.

Warriors Notes: Curry, Thompson, Wiggins, Iguodala, Buyout Market

January 9th, 2023 at 5:26pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Stephen Curry‘s return could be imminent. Curry participated in Monday’s practice and scrimmages, according to ESPN’s Kendra Andrews, and he’s listed as questionable to play against Phoenix on Tuesday. Curry hasn’t played since Dec. 14 due to a shoulder injury.

Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins were also full participants while Jonathan Kuminga, James Wiseman and JaMychal Green sat out.

Kevon Looney, Draymond Green, Donte DiVincenzo and Jordan Poole did not participate in the scrimmages because they’ve played heavy minutes in recent games (Twitter links here).

We have more on the Warriors:

Wiggins missed 15 games due to an adductor strain and illness. In his return against Orlando on Saturday, he scored 12 points in 19 minutes but shot just 4-for-12 from the field. He told The Athletic’s Anthony Slater that he’ll need some time to regain his best form. “It just felt a little rusty out there just trying to get my feet right, get back in rhythm,” Wiggins said. “But I know it’s going to take a little time.”
Andre Iguodala made his season debut in the same game and also needs to scrape off some rust. He wasn’t much of a factor in 12 minutes. However, Iguodala isn’t a crucial rotation piece like Wiggins, Slater notes in the same piece.
The trade deadline is a month away, followed by the buyout market. The Warriors, who have an open roster spot, need to add another piece, Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic opines. What do they need the most? In Thompson’s estimation, an athletic big would be ideal. They could also pursue a wing capable of stressing defenses off the dribble.

Warriors Notes: Two-Way Players, Curry, Wiggins, Iguodala

January 7th, 2023 at 7:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Warriors have been forced to rely more than they expected on two-way players Anthony Lamb and Ty Jerome, and both are starting to get close to their game limits for the season, writes Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area.

NBA rules state that two-way players can’t be on the active roster for more than 50 games and they’re not eligible for the playoffs. With the season not quite at the halfway point, Lamb has already appeared in 31 games, while Jerome has played 25 and had two more in which he was active but didn’t get on the court.

“We have to navigate that,” coach Steve Kerr admitted. “There will be some games where those guys will not suit up.”

Lamb, who is on his third team in three years, signed with the Warriors in October shortly before the start of the regular season. He has earned a consistent role off the bench, averaging 6.6 PPG in 19.3 minutes per game. Jerome also came to Golden State in October, after being traded and waived during the offseason, and is putting up 7.5 PPG in 18 minutes per night.

“It says a lot about the culture,” Andre Iguodala said, “just with them looking for guys like that who will make the most of their time here and even extend their time because of their work ethics.”

There’s more on the Warriors:

Stephen Curry felt good after taking part in Friday’s practice, tweets Kendra Andrews of ESPN. He was able to play 5-on-5 with contact and said his conditioning is fine after missing nearly four weeks with a left shoulder subluxation. President of basketball operations Bob Myers indicated this week that Curry might be able to return January 13, but the former MVP wouldn’t commit to that, saying he plans “to be ready when I’m ready.” (Twitter link)
The Warriors confirmed that Andrew Wiggins will be in the starting lineup for tonight’s game against the Magic, ending a 15-game absence due to an adductor strain and an illness, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Donte DiVincenzo will return to his role off the bench. Wiggins will be on a minutes restriction, although Kerr wasn’t specific about how long he will play, according to Andrews (Twitter link).
Iguodala, who will make his season debut tonight, will also play restricted minutes, Andrews tweets. Kerr didn’t reveal how long that will be, saying the team is working out a long-term plan for Iguodala, including whether he will be available for back-to-back games.

Andre Iguodala Expected To Make Season Debut On Saturday

January 6th, 2023 at 2:23pm CST by Luke Adams

Warriors forward Andre Iguodala announced today via his Point Forward podcast that he intends to make his season debut on Saturday when Golden State hosts the Magic (Twitter link).

“We got 24 hours ’til I step on the court, man. It’s a go,” Iguodala told co-host Evan Turner. “Hope the fan base is excited. I’m a little nervous, but actually I’m also excited. I try to play it cool, calm, and collected all the time, but excited to get there on the court. It’s finally happened.”

Iguodala, who weighed the possibility of retiring this past offseason, eventually elected to re-sign with the Warriors and made the deal official just before training camp got underway. However, his 2022/23 debut has been delayed due to a left hip issue.

It’s unclear how much action Iguodala will see now that he has been cleared to return. Last season, he appeared in only 31 games and averaged 19.5 minutes per contest during the regular season, then logged just 61 total minutes in seven playoff appearances.

Iguodala will turn 39 later this month and at this point in his career is probably more valued for his veteran leadership in the locker room than his contributions on the court. Still, while he no longer offers much offensively, the 19-year veteran is a versatile defender and will give head coach Steve Kerr one more option off the bench as the club awaits the return of Stephen Curry.

Pacific Notes: Kuminga, Wiggins, M. Brown, Lakers

December 28th, 2022 at 7:47am CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors have liked what they’ve seen lately from second-year forward Jonathan Kuminga, Anthony Slater writes for The Athletic. Kuminga scored 14 points on 6-of-6 shooting in Tuesday’s win over Charlotte, but it was his defense that drew praise after the game.

“He f—ing locks up now,” teammate Draymond Green said. “I think it’s very impressive to see. Not that you never thought he was capable, but to see the maturity and buying into a role. Like, ‘Oh, that’s my role, that’s what I need to do. I’m going to go do that better than anyone.’ We’ve seen his impact over the last few weeks. He’s hawking every point guard he gets on.”

As Slater details, a steal Kuminga made against Hornets forward P.J. Washington in the fourth quarter with the game tied at 101-101 prompted head coach Steve Kerr to compare the 20-year-old to one of the Warriors’ veteran leaders.

“He looked like Andre Iguodala on that play,” Kerr said. “That’s an Andre-type play. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Andre’s been mentoring him throughout the season and last year.”

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

The Warriors got some good news and some bad news this week on forward Andrew Wiggins, who has been sidelined since December 3 due to an adductor strain. Wiggins has been cleared to return from that injury, but is battling an illness, which will keep him out at least through Wednesday’s game against Utah, tweets Slater.
Kings head coach Mike Brown has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols, the team announced on Tuesday (Twitter link via James Ham of The Kings Beat). Assistant coach Jordi Fernandez is coaching the team in Brown’s place, but Brown is experiencing only mild COVID-19 symptoms and hopes to be cleared to return soon, a source tells Marc J. Spears of Andscape (Twitter link).
In the past, LeBron James‘ comments to the media about his teams’ shortcomings have often spurred his front offices into action, but his calls for help this season appears to be falling on deaf ears, according to Kyle Goon of The Southern California News Group, who explores whether any roster moves are coming for the Lakers.