Acquiring Andre Iguodala
Golden State was heavily involved in the Dwight Howard sweepstakes during the 2013 offseason. Several fans wanted him on the team. Getting an All-Star in free agency was never a big thing for the Warriors; no one wanted to play for this dysfunctional franchise.
But after the Warriors showcased that they are a legitimate playoff team in the Western Conference, heads started to turn. Howard narrowed down his choices, but ultimately chose to play in Houston for the Rockets.
Although the Warriors were not able to land one of the biggest names in free agency, they still managed to acquire Andre Iguodala. He signed a four-year, $48 million contract and became a Warrior officially as a part of a three-team trade.
He was immediately inserted into the starting lineup in favor of Harrison Barnes. While Barnes struggled, Iguodala played well. He made All NBA First Team Defense and hit a few buzzer beaters for the Dubs. He instantly became a fan favorite.
However, there were several times were he was too passive and wouldn’t look for his own shot. He did that more so in 2014-15 when Steve Kerr had him come in as a reserve and had Barnes start.
Iguodala had his ups and downs coming off the bench. He had career low numbers in most stats and looked out of rhythm. It was expected, though. He started in over 800 career games and was asked to make a big change.
He got better as the season progressed and finished among the top vote getters for the 6th Man of the Year Award. He doesn’t score the way other bench players do when they come in the game, but his impact cannot be denied. He demonstrated it in the NBA Finals.
He held his own against LeBron James. James scored nearly 36 points per game in the Finals, but he shot under 40 percent, which hurt the Cavaliers in the end. James shot 44 percent with Iguodala on the bench and only 38.1 when he was in the game.
He was the first Finals MVP to not start a game in the regular season and his stellar play made him the clear choice for the award. He was acquired to play well in games like these, and he did it to his full extent.
Iguodala showed why he is worthy of his contract and helped lead the Warriors to their first championship in 40 years.