As an indirect consequence of Kevin Durant making his commitment to the Brooklyn Nets, the Golden State Warriors have had to trade an invaluable piece of their dynasty.
The Warriors have reportedly made a sign-and-trade deal for D'Angelo Russell and as a result they were forced to trade Andre Iguodala, reports ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Golden State is trading Andre Iguodala to the Memphis Grizzlies, league source tells ESPN. Warriors are sending a 2024 protected first-round pick in the 2024 (protected 1-4), 2025 (protected 1) and 2026 unprotected.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2019
The Athletic's Tim Kawakami clarified that it was actually one draft pick sent by the Warriors and not three.
The 2019-20 season will be Iguodala's final year on his three-year, $48 million extension he signed with the Warriors in the 2017 offseason.
He first signed with the Warriors as a free-agent in 2013 to a four-year, $48 million deal and has been a key piece to the Golden State's recent run of three championships in five Finals appearances.
Not to mention his effort in the 2015 NBA Finals that earned him the Bill Russell Finals MVP Award.
It's unclear if Iguodala will be part of the Grizzlies in the long-term, with the 35-year-old a potential candidate in the buyout market to sign with a contender, as reported by ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.
Iguodala is a former Rob Pelinka client. If his stay in Memphis is short, don’t be surprised to see Lakers get involved https://t.co/fEsUTla1xg
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) July 1, 2019
This trade means yet another asset acquired by the Grizzlies, a franchise that is currently in the midst of a rebuild. They recently traded their franchise point guard Mike Conley to the Jazz and a few days later, drafted Ja Morant with the No. 2 pick of the 2019 NBA Draft.
