For the Golden State Warriors, 30 is a Prime Number

A Closer Look at Iguodala

Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

The most noticeable change on offense among the two is with Iguodala, who has a net offensive rating of -1.4. That means that when he was off the floor, the Warriors tended to score 1.4 more points per 100 possessions.

Looking back at the 2015 NBA Finals, it was a noted fact that Iguodala’s average of 10.4 points per game was among the lowest for Finals MVPs. On the regular season, Iguodala didn’t even break the double-digits mark, averaging a career-low 7.8 points per game.

Live Feed

Wiz of Awes

In his defense, Iguodala has never been considered a prolific go-to scorer (although the Sixers and the Nuggets tried to make him one). For the Warriors, it’s really not his job to score: he’s mostly counted on for defense in the second unit, in addition to bringing up the ball and bringing more fluidity to the ball movement in the second unit.

But in a game where scoring the basket is roughly 50 percent of the game, is Iguodala off the bench worth the estimated $23.02 million he’s set to make over the next couple of years? If Warriors fans were so adamant about trading Lee due to the size of his contract and lack of defensive ability, then why can’t a high paid player who’s defensively proficient and offensively lacking be put under the same scrutiny?

While it’s certainly not the best situation to have financially, it’s by leaps and bounds definitely not the worse case scenario. Playing at a position that features guys like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Paul George, Iguodala’s high basketball IQ and veteran presence has proven central to the Warriors’ continued success.

And in a league where having a solid bench unit is just as important as having a great starting lineup, Iguodala gives Steve Kerr and the Warriors a trusted should-be-starter in the second unit. Iguodala’s feel for the game goes unquestioned when you see him on the court, filling in the lanes perfectly, bringing the energy and almost always making the right pass.

And speaking of making the right pass, Iguodala’s assist ratio of 26.4 was third best on the Warriors last season. It’s that kind of veteran leadership and versatility that does volumes for a team, especially for a team that relies so much on moving the ball.

Take Scottie Pippen for instance, says Kerr, who compares his former Chicago Bulls teammate to Iguodala.

"Pippen may have been a better shooter than Iguodala, but Kerr sees similarities between his former teammate and his fellow Arizona alumnus. “Both guys are more natural passers than scorers,” he said. “They are both incredibly versatile defenders. Obviously, the athleticism is off the charts, and just the length. One of the reasons why Andre has become — and Scottie did become — distributors is that they weren’t great shooters. So when you’re not great at something, you figure out what you are really good at and you always work on your weaknesses.”"

Now there are times when Iguodala will have an open shot and pass it up completely, but in the NBA, it’s difficult to think of another bench guy that was as important to his team’s success on both ends as Iguodala. When speaking in terms of the difference he makes when he’s on the floor for Golden State, there’s no doubt that Iguodala and the Warriors are a match made in heaven.

Besides, who else on the team is going to guard LeBron in the Finals next season?

Next: A Closer Look at Bogut