If you had to describe Andre Iguodala’s free-agency market in one word, what should it be?
Robust.
And even that might be underselling it.
At least seven teams plan to pursue the 33-year-old wing this summer, according to ESPN.com’s Chris Haynes:
Andre Iguodala has become the foremost target in an attempt to weaken the Golden State Warriors’ choke hold on the NBA, league sources have told ESPN.
The Minnesota Timberwolves, San Antonio Spurs, LA Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic, Brooklyn Nets and Utah Jazz are among the teams interested in the 2015 NBA Finals MVP, sources tell ESPN.
This comes on the heels of a report from The Vertical’s Shams Charania that Iguodala will “seriously consider” overtures from teams other than the Golden State Warriors—with the caveat it could take $20 million per year for him to leave.
That much money sounds ridiculous, because it is ridiculous. But if teams are looking to chop away at the Warriors’ championship appeal, overpaying Iguodala, the 2015 Finals MVP who’s still tasked with some of the toughest defensive assignments in the league, is a good way to do it.
Besides, there are worse deals to shell out. Offering Iggy something like three years and $60 million doesn’t hamstring the books for that long—particularly for teams like the Timberwolves, Nets and Magic, who aren’t free-agent hotbeds to begin with. You can already sniff the end of the deal contract Year 1, and Iguodala should have two years of quality basketball left in him after having his minutes inherently curbed for three seasons as a member of the Warriors’ bench.
Re-signing with Golden State remains the most likely outcome to his free agency. Yet, with so many teams projected to have interest, chances are at least one fields an offer the Warriors aren’t willing to match. And from there, things would get very, very interesting.
