Andre Iguodala has sat out the entire season after being traded from Golden State to Memphis, with the understanding that he’d be traded to a contender or bought out at some point.
Many assumed he’d be heading to the Lakers or the Clippers, one way or another, but instead the Grizzlies are sending him to the East in a deal with the Miami Heat.
The Heat are sending Justise Winslow to Memphis in the trade.
The Grizzlies did pretty well here, acquiring another young wing they can evaluate alongside Ja Morant while preserving their salary cap flexibility. After all, the main prize was the future Golden State first rounder they received for taking Iguodala in the first place and helping the Warriors shed salary.
It also ends the Grizzlies mini-drama, as Ja and others had clearly grown tired of Iguodala’s absence while they fight for a playoff spot in the West (they’re currently 8th.)
— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) February 4, 2020
(For what it’s worth, the Heat have already played Memphis twice this season, so Ja might have to wait until next season for that game.)
The Heat are the real story, though. They’re clearly going for it, which makes a ton of sense. The Bucks have Giannis, yes, and are clearly the favorite in the East. But Miami is in 4th and only 1.5 games out of the coveted second seed. Jimmy Butler is playing maybe his best basketball, but he’s 30. This is their window, and Iguodala signing an extension is a clear sign he agrees. Those terms are also team-friendly, likely because Iguodala wants them to be able to add around him going forward as well.
And they might not be done adding for this season, with Miami mentioned as a possible suitor for Thunder shooter Danilo Gallinari even before the Iggy deal was reported.
That would be quite a haul, and there’s a chance Gallinari (an unrestricted free agent after this season) would also want to stay. A stretch four, he’s an ideal fit next to Butler. That might be getting ahead of things, but regardless, the Heat are clearly in the proper mindset: win now.
About Jay Rigdon
Jay is a columnist at Awful Announcing. He is not a strong swimmer. He is probably talking to a dog in a silly voice at this very moment.