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Former Finals MVP Andre Igoudala is returning to the Warriors for one final season. Igoudala contemplated retirement all offseason but decided to come back for one last dance, as he stated on his Point Forward podcast with Evan Turner. Iguodala let 2022 Finals MVP, Stephen Curry, know “this is the last one,” leading up to an eventual retirement after the season.
Last Dance
The Warriors have a great chance to send Igoudala off the right way, with most of the championship core intact to run it back. Some salary negotiations are taking place regarding Draymond Green, Jordan Poole, and Andrew Wiggins. Warriors GM Bob Myers has assured Warriors fans that he would love to bring everybody back but given their current salary cap situation, it’s easier said than done.
Original Core
The veteran core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Andre Igoudala has been around for all four championships during this dynastic run. However, Klay Thompson is coming off two significant injuries and is still working his way back to 100%. Likewise, Draymond Green isn’t his prime self, with his jump shot declining. Finally, Igoudala doesn’t even receive consistent minutes anymore, and most of his value comes from his veteran leadership and IQ.
Despite these factors, the Warriors’ core is still extremely lethal. Their influx of youth has kept the dynasty alive in a big way. Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole are the brightest future stars, with their current production contributing significantly to their latest title. Johnathan Kuminga, James Wiseman, and Moses Moody, among others, are younger players with potential but a lot more unknown. The development of all these pieces is critical for life beyond the vets.
Championship Favorites
As the defending champs with all the talent they still have, the Golden State Warriors should be 2022-2023 NBA championship favorites in Andre Igoudala’s final season. If the Warriors can pull off one final championship with this core, these four would have more titles than any active player in the league. Each player carved out an important role and left their imprint on one of the greatest basketball dynasties.
From his previous days as an Allstar to being an elite bench player with hardware, Iguodala has a pretty good case to be inducted into the basketball Hall of Fame. He’s also likely to get his jersey retired by the Warriors.
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