Former Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers has opened up about the difficult decision to trade Andre Iguodala in 2019, admitting the three-time NBA champion deserved better after everything he had done for the organization.
The Warriors traded Iguodala to the Memphis Grizzlies in July 2019 as part of the financial moves that allowed them to acquire D’Angelo Russell through a sign-and-trade with the Brooklyn Nets. For Myers, however, the transaction remains memorable less for its basketball implications than for the way Iguodala handled the news.
“The way he took it, the professionalism, made it, as far as a player handling a tough thing, I’ve never seen one do it as well as he did in that moment,” Myers said on Cousins with Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady, via HoopsHype.
Iguodala had spent six seasons with Golden State after joining the franchise in 2013. He became an integral part of the Warriors’ championship core, winning three titles in 2015, 2017 and 2018 while earning NBA Finals MVP honors in 2015.
Although Iguodala had moved into a reduced role by the end of his Warriors tenure, his defensive versatility, experience and ability to contribute in high-pressure playoff moments remained important to the team’s success.
Myers recalled telling Iguodala that the Warriors were sending him to Memphis, a team that was not expected to contend for a championship at that stage.
“To call a guy that, when you talk about personal, making it personal, and to say we are trading you to Memphis, and he knew it was not a team that was trying to win,” Myers said.
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“But Andre looked at me and he said, ‘I understand. You got to do what you got to do,'” Myers recalled.
Myers acknowledged that Iguodala likely had mixed feelings about the trade but emphasized how he handled the situation.
“Of course I’m sure he felt a certain way, but it wasn’t like it wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right,” Myers said.
The former Warriors executive ultimately viewed the episode as an example of the difficult balance between making business decisions and honoring a player who had helped build a championship organization.
“When you do things where a player does so much for you and your organization, and you make a decision where he deserved better,” Myers said.
Iguodala’s departure did not end his championship ambitions. Memphis traded him to the Miami Heat in February 2020, and he subsequently helped Miami reach the NBA Finals in the 2019-20 season. The Heat lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games, but Iguodala had another opportunity to compete for a title.
He later returned to Golden State during the 2021-22 season and won a fourth championship with the Warriors, bringing his career full circle.
Across 19 NBA seasons, Iguodala appeared in 1,231 regular-season games, averaging 11.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists. His legacy, however, extends beyond his individual statistics, particularly through his defensive contributions and role in Golden State’s championship dynasty.
