When we last saw Andre Iguodala play on an NBA court, he had a throwback game that nearly helped the Golden State Warriors to a Game 7 against the Toronto Raptors last June.
He had 22 points, hitting three from deep and blocking a shot after swatting four of them a game earlier in the NBA finals. Overall, he had a solid playoff run, especially against the Houston Rockets, particularly on the defensive end.
He hasn’t played since. The Warriors needed cap space to maneuver in the offseason and dealt him to Memphis, where he held out from the Grizzlies, waiting to be traded to a contender.
And the team that acquired him — the Miami Heat — gave him a lucrative contract extension:
Is that surprising for a player who just turned 36 nine days ago? Absolutely not.
The Heat have a genuine shot at the No. 2 seed in the East and a legitimate claim to winning the East, especially if Pat Riley pulls off an additional deal to get Danilo Gallinari from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Aside from Jimmy Butler, Goran Dragic and the ageless Udonis Haslem, they need another veteran — one who’s been a part of some championship-winning teams — for a roster full of young upstarts.
Plus, the Heat are 14th in defensive rating, per NBA Advanced Stats. That’s really where Iguodala’s impact will be felt. They’re paying him to use his savvy and wingspan in the postseason on opposing wings and guards, which is incredible when you consider they already have Butler to do the same. The asterisk to add is it’s a franchise-friendly deal, one that gives the Heat a chance in the summer of 2021 to sign a big name (basically: COME TO SOUTH BEACH, GREEK FREAK!!!!).
If Riley can get Gallinari to help on the offensive end, turning this trade into a three-teamer, the Heat will have achieved exactly what they needed: the deal that will make them The Team No One Wants to Face.
But this acquisition is huge on its own.
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