The No. 1 reason Andre Iguodala reunited with the Warriors last summer is precisely the same as that of the team: To be on the roster for an extended playoff run with perhaps an NBA Finals victory as his farewell gift.
All of that is in jeopardy. Iguodala, 39, is scheduled to undergo surgery next week to repair a fractured left wrist, an injury sustained Monday night against the Phoenix Suns.
Though an official update and prognosis won’t be announced until after the procedure, typical recovery from wrist surgery can take as little as one month or as long as 12 weeks.
“We’ll see what happens here as we go,” coach Steve Kerr told reporters Wednesday in Los Angeles, prior to tipoff against the Clippers. “But it’s a huge loss.”
Kerr acknowledged that Iguodala’s absence will have an impact on the roster composition over the 14 regular-season games remaining. It’s conceivable that at least one of the two-way players, Ty Jerome and Anthony Lamb, could be signed to a standard NBA contract.
“We'll see what it means, roster wise,” Kerr said. “See how things play out, whether we use the last roster spot on one of our two-way guys or if something else comes up, but we'll just go forward.”
The Warriors, scheduled to play three games in a four-night span, will proceed as planned while general manager Bob Myers and the front office staff consider their options.
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No matter the decision, they won’t be able to replace Iguodala’s tangible and intangible effect on his teammates. He has been a mentor to the team’s young players and, even though he has missed most of the season, has contributed when available. It is that dual role, unique to Iguodala, that the Warriors will miss most.
“Andre has made a big impact since he returned a few weeks ago,” Kerr said. “His on/off numbers are really good. Our defense gets dramatically better the second he steps on the floor. And offensively, even though he’s not really a scorer at this point, he just facilitates. He understands where everybody needs to be.
“So, it's a huge loss. And it comes at a tough time, when we're heading down the stretch run.”
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Iguodala appeared in only eight of Golden State’s first 69 games. He played only 16 minutes on Monday, producing four points, three assists, two rebounds and one steal. He was team-best plus-19.
What began as Iguodala’s last ride with his favorite team could end in much the same fashion as his 19th season, with him watching from the sideline.