We still don’t know if Andre Iguodala is coming back to the Warriors or going to ride off into the sunset and retire a champion.
That includes Warriors governor Joe Lacob.
Lacob appeared on the latest episode of Iguodala’s “Point Forward” podcast, which is co-hosted by former NBA player Evan Turner. Lacob turned the tables on Andre and asked him a question to wrap up their 50-minute conversation, “So, are you coming back next year?”
“Ah, man. Y’all want me to come back?” Iguodala said with a smile.
“Dre said he wants $28 million,” Turner interjected.
“That he’s not getting. I can assure you,” Lacob said.
That comment got Iguodala and Turner busting up.
“I gotta pay all these young guys, man,” Lacob said.
Iguodala came back to Golden State on a veteran minimum deal last season, which he let reporters know throughout the year. He probably made dozens of “minimum” references in press conferences during the season, as he always keeps his dry sense of humor. Injuries to his knee, hip and back issues limited him to just 31 games in the regular season and seven in the playoffs.
Still, his presence on the bench and the locker room was uber-valuable to the Warriors on their championship run when he wasn’t available to play. He turned into something of an extra assistant coach for Steve Kerr.
"I think you had a huge impact," Lacob told Iguodala. "Don't think that doens't go without notice. Huge impact. I watched you on the sidelines, I watched you in the locker room. That was part of our strategy, too, obviously, too get you back."
It marked his second stint with the Warriors, as he played with Golden State from 2013-19 before he was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies for economic reasons.
"I wish we never had to trade you in the first place," Lacob said. "I'm sorry, I apologize."
"It's business, it's business," Iguodala said. "I understand it's nothing personal at all."
"At the time there was no other way," Lacob said. "But we got you back, you got your ring. All's good."
"If it was personal to me, I never woulda came back," Iguodala said. "And I always tell guys, it's never personal. You gotta understand the business, you gotta understand both sides. Because if I'm sitting in your shoes, I would make the same move. How could I get upset?"
With first-rounder Patrick Baldwin Jr. and second-rounder Ryan Rollins in good position to take roster spots this year, Iguodala might not find a home back at Golden State this fall. But at the end of the season, Kerr said he’d love to bring Iguodala back.
Iguodala has shown a big interest in investing and promoting financial education among his teammates and the NBA community at large. His conversation with Lacob reveals some interesting insight from a sports and business perspective and is definitely worth a listen.
