LOS ANGELES _ The Miami Heat's pursuit of former championship forward Andre Iguodala has moved into the final hours of the NBA trade period, with apparently mutual interest from the Memphis Grizzlies in a potential deal.
With Thursday's 3 p.m. NBA trade deadline looming, both The Athletic and Yahoo Sports reported Wednesday night that the Heat have emerged as a frontrunner for the forward who has been seeking to make his NBA return with a contender.
Dealt in the offseason by the Golden State Warriors to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of the Warriors' cap machinations, Iguodala was given permission by the Grizzlies to remain away from the team until an agreement landing spot could be found, yet to play this season.
That apparently now could come in the heat of the Eastern Conference playoff race, after initial indications of the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers being frontrunners for the 36-year-old three-time NBA champion.
With the Heat operating under a hard salary cap after the offseason addition of Jimmy Butler in a sign-and-trade agreement, the Heat cannot take in more in salary than what they send out in any trade.
The Grizzlies have set the asking price for Iguodala as a young prospect or draft choices or a combination. Because of previous deals, the Heat are unable to include a first-round pick in any deadline deal.
Iguodala could fill a void the Heat have been dealing with for more than two months, the period that forward Justise Winslow has been sidelined with what the Heat have been listing as a lower-back bone bruise.
Iguodala is on the books for $17.2 million in the final year off the three-year, $48 million contract he signed with the Warriors in the 2017 offseason, making him an unrestricted free agent at season's end.
With a preference to remain on the West Coast, where he resides and has been working out, he has threatened to sit out the season if not able to get to a destination of choice.
