Andre Iguodala has earned his reputation as one of the most versatile forwards in the NBA. He can do it all, from picking up the opponent's best player on defense, to improving his three-point shooting while playing alongside the Splash Brothers, to handling the ball as a point forward. His ability to facilitate and control an offense might be one of the keys for the Golden State Warriors this season, but coach Steve Kerr reportedly thinks those skills might be more useful with the second unit.
Andre Iguodala playing off the bench for Warriors is mutually beneficial
Steve Kerr liked what he saw playing Andre Iguodala off the bench, and it could be a change that benefits both the Warriors and the versatile forward.
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Kerr brought Iguodala off the bench in Golden State’s preseason win over the Lakers on Sunday and wouldn’t rule out playing him off the bench as their lead playmaker in the future, according to Diamond Leung of the Bay Area News Group.
This is a natural fit for Iguodala and Golden State. Iguodala averaged 4.6 assists per 36 minutes in his first season with the Warriors, according to Basketball-Reference, and topped out at 6.2 assists per 36 minutes during the '10-11 season. He's more comfortable picking his spots and handling the ball than finding his own shot and putting up attempts in bunches, so giving him point guard responsibilities makes sense. This benefits Golden State as well, as they lack a secondary playmaker, again. Iguodala helped cover for the loss of Jarrett Jack last season without any hiccups and should help keep the Warriors' offense flowing off the bench.
Preseason is a chance to try different things, and Kerr may be on to something. The Warriors have been one of the most stable teams in the Western Conference over the last three seasons, leaving room to try the new and unknown with the foundation set. Iguodala did a great job facilitating the Warriors' offense during the 116-75 beat down they gave the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday night, dishing out a game-high eight assists in 21 minutes while attempting just six shots. Golden State has plenty of options on offense even with Iguodala focusing on distributing shot attempts.
Sliding Iguodala to the bench would make way for Harrison Barnes to play with the starting unit, which could help the No. 7 pick of the 2012 draft. Instead of being lost in the rotation, as he often is, he'd have a consistent role he could grow in. Barnes struggled in his sophomore year, shooting just under 40 percent from the field, but he's only entering his third season as an NBA player. He can play at the uptempo pace the Warriors thrive in and there's no reason to give up on him developing so early in his career.
This does represent a long-term trade-off for Golden State, though. Iguodala is one of the NBA's best perimeter defenders and the Warriors will need their defensive stopper as a starter during the postseason. If the Warriors rely on Iguodala leading the bench unit through the regular season, this could cause rotation issues if they shift him back into the starting lineup for the playoffs. He also fits nicely alongside the starting unit, complementing Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry on the wings and providing the kind of defensive support on the perimeter that David Lee and Andrew Bogut need in front of them.
Will Kerr stick with this newfound role for Iguodala? Time will tell, but giving it a chance and seeing how his Warriors respond to the lineup shift is a worthwhile preseason exercise if nothing else. Maybe Barnes will find a comfortable role playing with the more structured starting lineup. Maybe the Warriors can trust in both Barnes and Thompson to pick up the slack on defense to cover for Iguodala’s role as their sixth man. Maybe Iguodala ends up earning himself a Sixth Man of the Year award for his efforts, proving more valuable as an off-the-bench leader than a starting-lineup cog.
No matter the outcome, options are good, and Kerr is taking his time combing over the ready-made roster he was handed in his first year as a head coach. In this case, it’s a matter of “why not,” not “why.”
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