Despite his usual off-the-bench role for his former team, the Golden State Warriors, Andre Iguodala has been involved in his share of trade rumors in the offseason, especially after the Memphis Grizzlies acquired him last month. The San Antonio Spurs have not been involved in any of these past rumors, but as suggested by Bleacher Report , the team could potentially benefit from the 35-year-old veteran’s presence if they acquire him from the Grizzlies later this year for a pair of newly-signed forwards.
On Wednesday, Bleacher Report took a look at five players who have been mentioned in recent trade rumors despite the slowdown in offseason activity, as well as several recommended deals that could involve them in the near future. In the entry for Iguodala, the publication suggested a pair of possible mid-season trades, explaining that these transactions can only be completed on December 15 due to the NBA’s policies on trading free agents who were signed in the summer. These included a deal that would send Iguodala to the San Antonio Spurs for Grizzlies forwards DeMarre Carroll and Trey Lyles.
As explained by the outlet, this hypothetical trade may not include any future draft picks, but could still give Memphis a pair of “competent” forwards with affordable contracts, with Carroll expected to provide leadership to a young Grizzlies team. The 33-year-old Carroll last played for the Brooklyn Nets in the 2018-19 season, where he averaged 11.1 points and 5.2 rebounds and shot just 39.5 percent from the field as a backup power forward, per Basketball-Reference .
Andre Iguodala reveals KD got mad when double-teamed at Warriors practice https://t.co/yOO5rnRbXG pic.twitter.com/ksK7fwkD55
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While it was noted that the 23-year-old Lyles didn’t progress as expected in the 2018-19 season, Bleacher Report stressed that he has “shown glimpses” of his potential as a scorer in his four NBA seasons thus far. According to his Basketball-Reference player page, Lyles contributed averages of 8.5 points and 3.8 assists and shot 41.8 percent from the field as a Denver Nuggets reserve.
Meanwhile, Bleacher Report predicted that if the above trade pushes forward, Iguodala could help the San Antonio Spurs make another playoff run before long-time coach Gregg Popovich retires from his position. As pointed out, Iguodala has had a decorated NBA career so far, having played in one All-Star Game, made two All-Defensive Team selections and won three league championships with the Warriors, including one in 2015 where he was named NBA Finals MVP.
As of now, however, it remains uncertain whether the Grizzlies will keep Andre Iguodala on their roster as the NBA offseason continues. According to ClutchPoints , ESPN’s Bobby Marks reported this week that Memphis could still buy out the final year of his contract and may wait to do so until late next month, right around the start of training camp.
