Should Andre Iguodala Start?

ESPN’s Ethan Strauss asked Steve Kerr several days ago if he would consider changing the starting lineup, to which Kerr replied with “We’re 80-18.”

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Crazy, right? Such a silly question to ask. But now here we are at 80-20 with a small forward whose all but disappeared asking it again. Should the Warriors break up the starting lineup that brought them to the NBA Finals and insert Andre Iguodala into the first five?

Well, first let’s look at why, at the beginning of the year, Kerr promoted Harrison Barnes to a starter once again.

Barnes struggled mightily last season after Mark Jackson sent him to the bench. While Iguodala flourished with the staters, the Tar Heel forward was expected to carry the offensive load for the second unit. In typical Jackson fashion, Barnes had to make plays happen in mostly isolation situations. He would work a lot out of the post where he didn’t look as comfortable.

Jun 9, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) shoots the ball against Golden State Warriors forward Harrison Barnes (40) during the first quarter in game three of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Barnes was re-inserted into the starting lineup this year under Steve Kerr to help regain his confidence. Of course, this sent Iguodala to the bench. The move was more about trying to help Barnes than demote Iguodala. For the most part, the move worked. As the third or fourth offensive option in the starting unit, Barnes thrived. He developed a signature shot, the three pointer from the corner. All his numbers and efficiency improved as he shot 48% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc. Though he struggled with consistency, Harrison Barnes was a completely different player than last year.

On the other side, Iguodala had some trouble adapting to his new role early on. A former All-Star, Iguodala had never come off the bench before in his career. He brought a solid veteran presence to the second unit. He was also a key cog in the Warriors’ small ball lineup featuring Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Barnes. Iguodala earned a spot on the 2nd Team All-Defense and he benefitted from coming off the bench as his legs look fresher than ever.

May 27, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Harrison Barnes (40) and guard Andre Iguodala (9) react during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets in game five of the Western Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs. at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

But here we are, in June, asking if the lineup that led the team to 80-20 should be changed. The Warriors are 1-2 in their last three and they’re being dominated by the opposing small forward. Of course, this is no normal small forward. It’s, in my opinion, the greatest small forward to ever play the game of basketball. And this small forward, LeBron James, is putting on an all-time great performance. So should they change it?

They should definitely consider it. Andre Iguodala should start off on LeBron James. James is eating Barnes alive defensively. Though Iguodala can’t stop James (no one can), he’s slowing him down. The Cavalier superstar is getting off to hot starts and, if other Warriors come to help, getting his role players into an early rhythm to.

Part of the whole point of moving Barnes to the starting lineup was to help him find his offense and improve the bench. Well, the bench shortens up in the playoffs and, with many Dubs struggling, surely gets shorter in the NBA Finals. So minutes for Iguodala and minutes for Iguodala with the bench isn’t really an issue. Barnes has lost his offense. He shot for 0-8 in Game 3 and is 3-10 from deep.

Going in, we knew Barnes didn’t stand a chance against James. But sinking open corner jumpers is supposed to be his thing. If he can’t do that, then why not put in an elite defender and, at minimum, another ball handler into the starting lineup? Furthermore, allow Barnes to see minutes when Iguodala is tired, James sits, or Kerr goes small. For much of the game, Iguodala looked like the only Warrior that wanted to win the game.

Maybe Iguodala shouldn’t start. I mean, their current lineup got them this far. But is that good enough? LeBron James and the NBA Finals are unlike anything the Warriors have seen before this year. Waiting around to hope what worked before may not be the best way to attack what’s in front of them.

At minimum, Harrison Barnes should be on a much shorter leash especially if it doesn’t look like his offense is coming back. But the Warriors’ coaching staff should seriously consider starting Andre Iguodala to slow down LeBron James and jumpstart the Warrior offense.