Free agent Iguodala agrees to return to Warriors

Two seasons after leaving, veteran Andre Iguodala has agreed to return to the Golden State Warriors, his agent, Brandon Rosenthal of Landmark Sports, confirmed to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Friday.

The 37-year-old swingman spent six seasons with the Warriors (2013-2019) — winning three NBA championships — prior to spending the past two seasons as a member of the Miami Heat, who last week declined a $15 million team option for next season.

Iguodala averaged just 4.4 points in 21.3 minutes over 63 games last season, but he will provide an important leadership role on the team he helped push to three NBA titles during his tenure.

“Who would have thought I’d have the opportunity to go back to the place where I was able to have, whatever you want to call it, legacy years, in terms of the accomplishments, winning multiple championships, the relationships that I was able to build with some of my closest friends and teammates?” Iguodala told the New York Times on Friday.

“The relationship with the fans, the relationship with the Bay, the opportunity to end it here, was just something special.”

Iguodala, who was Finals MVP in 2015, remains one of the most respected veterans in the game, but his relationships inside the Warriors locker room, specifically with star guard Stephen Curry, will make for an easy transition back to his old team.

Iguodala has been widely praised for his basketball IQ over the years, with Warriors coach Steve Kerr repeatedly saying that Iguodala is one of the smartest players he has ever coached.

Entering his 18th NBA season, Iguodala has drawn Hall of Fame praise from Kerr in recent years and will provide the type of solid, veteran wing the Warriors were missing at times throughout a 2020-21 campaign in which they failed to make the postseason after losing to the Los Angeles Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies in the inaugural play-in tournament.

Iguodala won NBA championships with the Warriors in 2015, 2017 and 2018. The 17-year veteran has career averages of 11.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists.

Iguodala said he pondered retirement after last season, but came to the realization that he’s “got some more time left.”

“Where I’m comfortable at is I can decide when I’m ready to go,” Iguodala told the Times. “I think I want to leave with just a little bit left. I don’t want to go out on one leg. I know I’ve got a few more years. It’s just my decision whether it’s one or two or three or whatever it may be. I shouldn’t even say three. One or two.”

ESPN’s Nick Friedell contributed to this report.

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