How many of us remember Andre Iguodala’s stint on the Memphis Grizzlies? It’s not surprising if many had forgotten about this, as it lasted for only half a season and ended without Iguodala ever stepping on the floor for the team.
The Golden State Warriors traded Iguodala to the Grizzlies after the 2019 NBA Finals loss as GSW blew up their core with Kevin Durant leaving and Klay Thompson getting injured. Iggy went to Memphis as a salary dump and expected to be bought out so he could sign with a contending team and have a chance at an NBA title again.
The young Grizzlies were not happy about Iguodala not wanting to play with them, as Memphis traded Iguodala to the Miami Heat where he went on to the NBA Finals in 2020. Dillon Brooks clearly still holds a grudge based on what he had to say after the second-seed Grizzlies beat the Golden State Warriors with Iguodala (who re-signed here earlier this season on a minimum)
Dillon Brooks on Andre Iguodala: “We all had the vision and he didn’t. It’s perfect, send him back to the Warriors.”
— Drew Hill (@DrewHill_DM) March 29, 2022
Considering Memphis has a better record than the team Iguodala is on right now, this must be a great feeling for them. However, the best feeling is winning a championship and being a Finals MVP, something Iguodala has already felt. His decision to not want to stay on the youngest team in the league during the twilight of his career is somewhat understandable,
However, the Grizzlies were looking forward to having a championship-winning veteran like Iguodala on the team, so his lack of desire to play with them had to have rubbed off on them.
This Grizzlies team has taken all these experiences of perceived disrespect and used them to fuel themselves. They clinched their second-consecutive playoff appearance with this win, with even their last season’s playoff appearance coming after a win over the Warriors in the play-in.
