There’s a new vibe in the Warriors locker room this season. Or is it an old vibe?
Juan Toscano-Anderson spoke to the media during Friday’s shootaround before the Warriors’ final preseason tune-up against the Portland Trail Blazers. He discussed his preparations before “the big dance” of the regular season and how there’s a different energy about the 2021-22 Dubs.
A 37-year-old Andre Iguodala will have that effect on a team, especially with Golden State. Iguodala is the second-oldest player in the NBA behind Udonis Haslem and obviously has deep rapport with Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson.
“I think this team is a little bit different than last year’s team,” Toscano-Anderson said. “I like the bond that we have. We have some guys like Andre. He went away for a year or two, whatever it was, but now he’s here again. You can tell he’s the glue to this team. He’s a great leader.”
Iguodala spent 2013-2019 with Golden State before spending the past two seasons with the Miami Heat. He’s at the point of his career where he can freely joke at media day about being “underpaid” as he collects his $2.6 million veteran minimum contract. So you can only imagine how he’s keeping everyone loose behind closed doors.
“A lot of charismatic guys, which I can appreciate,” Toscano-Anderson said. “A lot of laughs. It feels a little different than last year -- not saying that last year wasn’t a great team -- but it’s a different experience. It’s different personalities and stuff. So I’m excited. I’m really looking forward to it and learning from these guys.”
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Toscano-Anderson, 28, also praised the other veteran free-agent additions like Otto Porter, Nemanja Bjelica and Avery Bradley for their impact on the locker room. It’s only been a few weeks but Toscano-Anderson is digging the mix of youth and vets.
First-round rookies Jonathan Kuminga (19) and Moses Moody (19), along with last year’s No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman (20), give the Warriors a trio of youngsters who can’t legally buy a beer yet.
“We’ve got some guys who have done this for a long time and we’ve got some guys who are babies, you know, 18, or 19 years old,” Toscano-Anderson said. “It’s a lot of fun, man. Sometimes I find myself in between. Sometimes I feel 35, other times I feel 21. So I’m always playing both sides of the fence. Sometimes I’m hanging out with the young guys, sometimes I’m hanging out with the vets. I think it’s a great balance.”
The team spent Thursday’s off-day together taking a boat ride through the Bay and underneath the Golden Gate bridge, before heading out into the Pacific Ocean. Captain Klay must have felt like a speck.
As for Toscano-Anderson, the East Oakland native, he said he appreciated a new perspective of The Bay.
“The boat was beautiful,” Toscano-Anderson said. “You know that was my first time actually being out there, not on the ferry. But even then, we went out to the Golden Gate Bridge and that was my first time ever. I’ve been here for 28 years, so, new experiences for the kid.”
