Breaking Down Andre Iguodala’s Comments on the Warriors Roster

In an exclusive article with Anthony Slater of The Athletic, Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala made headlines when he commented on the state of the Warriors roster.

Iguodala noted how the current roster set up, the two timelines of planting the future seeds and hunting championships with superstar Stephen Curry playing at an elite level have been disrespectful to the veterans and the future.

The Warriors' rough stretch of late has been a microcosm of how the roster was built.

In the current era of NBA basketball, there are multiple factors a team needs to succeed –– star power, veteran leadership and a good foundation for the future.

“They got this narrative now that ‘oh, we had a championship squad,’” Iguodala said on his Point Forward podcast. “And they [are] gonna do another one at the same time right after us. I’m like ‘Man, do you know how hard it is [to win a championship?]’”

To Iguodala's point, the Warriors' unique roster setup has been found in the early parts of the season. Still, with Curry sidelined for the foreseeable future, the concerns about the roster setup are glaring.

The Veterans

Headlining the group's veterans are Curry, guard Klay Thompson, forward Draymond Green and Iguodala. The Warriors' scorching fast start was mainly part of Curry's MVP-like play.

Curry demonstrated that at age 34, Curry can still put up ridiculous numbers while leading the team to blowout victories like the days of old.

As for Thompson, the return of Klay was a memorable night for all of DubNation –– and at first –– his return was critical. In March, Thompson averaged 19.3 points on 44.8% shooting and 45.6% from 3-point land.

Green is motivated once again and has consistently been in the DPOY conversation. But, with Green missing games in December due to COVID-19 and in February with a back injury, the team has dropped in production and overall cohesion.

The Future

The Warriors' blueprint for the future includes guard Jordan Poole, guard Moses Moody, forward Jonathan Kuminga and center James Wiseman.

For a while, it seemed like the master plan was working. Poole was emerging as a possible star in the league, Kuminga was growing into his own and Moody had been making strides.

Where the problem lies with the two timelines is with Wiseman. Because the Warriors knew Wiseman was coming back at some point, the front office was less reluctant to go after centers in the free agency market to save a spot for Wiseman.

But –– with the Warriors shutting down Wiseman –– the center depth position suddenly became bleak.

It's not impossible to have a win-now mentality and develop your future simultaneously. For example, the San Antonio Spurs were able to win championships with an aging Tim Duncan and a young Kawhi Leonard.

Seeing the Warriors' foundation getting the spotlight this season has been fun to watch. But –– as fans are seeing now –– it's hard to expect rookies and third-year players to step up and be consistent.

Though this formula worked throughout the first 20 games, the front office is forced to decide soon. Should the Warriors risk their future and trade for veterans that can make an impact now? Or should they develop the future while trying to stay competitive?

“We’re teaching them how to be true professionals,” Curry said. “it doesn’t necessarily mean we’re going to win a championship. It’s our job to help them become true professionals. [Are] they doing that? Time will tell.”

(Photo credit: Justin Ford/Getty Images)