Why Ex-Warriors GM Myers initially called off Iguodala trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Warriors’ trade for Andre Iguodala changed the franchise’s future — but Bob Myers initially walked away from the deal.
The former Golden State president of basketball operations and general manager explained the back-and-forth negotiations with Iguodala in the summer of 2013 and how the eventual sign-and-trade almost didn’t materialize.
“We liked [Iguodala], we pursued him, but it was a complicated deal,” Myers said Friday on KNBR’s “Papa & Lund” show. “It was one of the most difficult things I’ve tried to get done in my professional career. Just how much time [was] spent, energy and I knew what was at stake. Many times, I thought the deal was going to implode. It actually did, I called it off even.
“A few times I said to his agent Rob Pelinka… I said I didn’t want to ruin his market, don’t lose all these other options. And he just kept letting them go. I think he let [the Sacramento Kings] go, they were interested. I think [the Dallas Mavericks were] in there. His own team, [the Denver Nuggets], were in it. But he just hung in, and eventually, we were able to get a deal done with Utah [Jazz] to take on some contracts to help us clear the space.”
The sign-and-trade deal with the Nuggets and Jazz proved to be one of the best moves in franchise history. Pairing the established veteran with the talented core of Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson came to fruition two years later when the Warriors won the 2015 NBA Finals, with Iguodala winning series MVP.
That victory set the stage for Golden State to become the preeminent franchise in the league, winning four NBA titles in six appearances over an eight-year span. Iguodala’s impact was not lost on the Warriors, who are retiring his No. 9 jersey on Feb. 23.
Iguodala becomes the seventh player in Warriors history to have his jersey retired, joining Rick Barry (24), Wilt Chamberlain (13), Nate Thurmond (42), Al Attles (16), Chris Mullin (17) and Tom Meschery (14).
Myers certainly is glad Pelinka didn’t accept his offer and send Iguodala elsewhere. That trade proved to be one of his most consequential moves, turning Golden State from perennial also-rans into champions.
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