Golden State Warriors: The legacy of Andre Iguodala

While Andre Iguodala may no longer be a member of the Golden State Warriors, he won’t soon be forgotten.

On Sunday night, as the basketball world was prematurely crowning Kevin Durant the new king of New York, the Golden State Warriors sent shockwaves through the league by agreeing to trade away 2015 NBA Finals MVP Andre Iguodala.

According to ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski, Iguodala and a protected 2024 first round draft pick will be sent to the Memphis Grizzlies to clear cap space to complete a sign-and-trade for All-Star guard D’Angelo Russell, whom the Brooklyn Nets effectively replaced with the mercurial Kyrie Irving.

In his stead, Iguodala leaves behind an indelible legacy.

As sad (and confusing) as it was to see Kevin Durant walk away, the Warriors’ business-like exiling of Iggy stung. A sizable piece of their identity was shed in the name of cap space. This isn’t how fantastic stories are supposed to end.

Make no mistake about it: Andre Iguodala is a Hall-of-Famer. He is this generation’s Robert Horry — a veteran who elevated his game on the largest of stages and consistently made big shots.

This year, at the age of 35, Iguodala went from averaging 5.7 points in 23.2 minutes per game during the regular season to 9.8 points in 30.0 minutes a night in 21 playoff games.

Those numbers don’t exactly pop off the stat sheet, but Iguodala’s legacy goes well beyond trackable statistics. In Bill Simmons’ 2009 opus, “The Book of Basketball,” he relays a story in which Hall of Fame guard Isiah Thomas tells him the “secret of basketball” is “that it’s not about basketball.” Instead, the “secret” is found somewhere in between knowing one’s role, ignoring statistics, and valuing winning over everything else.

Andre Iguodala embodied the “secret” during his entire tenure with the Golden State Warriors.

After sealing Game 2 of this year’s NBA Finals with an ice-cold 3-pointer, Iguodala was quoted as saying “I play to protect Steph [Curry]’s legacy.” I cannot name another player who would go on record saying that the reason he plays is to protect the legacy of a much-criticized teammate and friend. Meaning, I cannot name another player gifted with an unparalleled selflessness.

He matched Dennis Rodman’s defensive brilliance while avoiding Rodman’s madness.

In 2014, his first season with the Warriors, Iguodala made the All-Defensive First Team.

Even in his 30s, Iguodala never shied away from taking on opposing teams’ toughest defensive assignments. His stripping of Damian Lillard’s 3-point attempt to seal Game 2 of this year’s Western Conference Finals was unforgettable. Iggy raced to the locker room, congratulating his brilliant hands the entire time.

During the Warriors’ initial title run in 2015, Iguodala was tasked with containing a nearly unstoppable LeBron James. Down 2-1 in the series, he was inserted into the starting lineup by head coach Steve Kerr, creating the much-hallowed “Death Lineup,” leading the Warriors to a title in six games and ultimately earning Finals MVP honors.

Though mostly a sixth man, he could seamlessly transition into a starting role if matchups or a lack of depth called for it.

Andre Iguodala is a Hall-of-Famer because he unquestionably played an essential role during one of the greatest team runs the NBA has ever witnessed. He was a key cog in the engine that made the Warriors go.

According to ESPN‘s Stephen A. Smith, chances are the Grizzlies buy out his contract and he takes the “secret” to the Los Angeles Lakers, sharing it with a young and hungry Anthony Davis. Perhaps then he will get the hero’s departure he deserves.

Goodbye, Andre.