It looks like a pair of familiar faces will be teaming up to try to win the Eastern Conference.
The Miami Heat have agreed to a trade to land former Sixer and Finals MVP Andre Iguodala, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Iguodala will also get a two-year, $30 million extension, according to Wojnarowski, who reports that Miami is sending Justise Winslow, Dion Waiters and James Johnson to the Memphis Grizzlies. Miami is also adding Solomon Hill and Jae Crowder along with Iguodala. Talks to involve the Oklahoma City Thunder's Danilo Gallinari in the trade have reportedly "stalled."
Iguodala will join Jimmy Butler with the Heat, who have been one of the biggest surprises in the NBA this season. They sit at 34-15, just 1 ½ games behind the Toronto Raptors for the second seed in the conference.
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SIGN UP HERE The one thing Miami appeared to lack is veteran experience. Iguodala has that and then some. The 36-year-old has played 15 NBA seasons and was a three-time NBA champ during his time with the Warriors.
Iguodala should be well rested. He was traded this past offseason to the Grizzlies in a salary dump. With the Grizzlies not expected to compete this year, Iguodala and the front office came to an agreement where Iguodala would sit out until a deal with a contender could be reached.
Nobody told the Memphis players they weren’t supposed to be compete. The Grizzlies have also been one of the bigger surprises in the league. Led by electrifying rookie Ja Morant, they sit in the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.
It’s led to a little drama recently as the Grizzlies’ young players had grown tired of answering questions about Iguodala. It even led to a back and forth on social media between Morant and Iguodala’s former teammate, Stephen Curry.
NBA
It appears that all parties should be happy now. Iguodala goes to a legitimate Eastern Conference contender and Memphis gets to continue its unexpected playoff push.
There was a report linking the Sixers to Iguodala in early January. It always seemed like a long shot considering his $17.1 million cap hit and the Sixers likely not having the assets to get it done.
Now, they may see him come playoff time.
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