Warriors vow to retire Iguodala number, trade him

SAN FRANCISCO - Andre Iguodala will have his number nine jersey retired by the Golden State Warriors, the NBA club announced Sunday in confirming his trade to the Memphis Grizzlies.

The 35-year-old US swingman and a projected first-round NBA Draft pick were sent to Memphis in exchange for forward Julian Washburn and a traded player exception, giving them future help under NBA salary cap rules.

Iguodala helped the Warriors reach the past five NBA Finals, with Golden State taking the title in 2015, 2017 and 2018 and Iguodala earning the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in 2015, largely due to his defensive work on LeBron James and without having started a regular-season game.

Warriors co-chairman Joe Lacob said Iguodala played a greater role than the team expected when signing him in 2013.

"We envisioned him becoming a vital part of a young, up-and-coming team with championship aspirations. As we look back six years later, we actually underestimated what his value would be to our team, both on the court and in the locker room," Lacob said.

"Andre sacrificed for the betterment of our team and, in one of the best stories of this journey, earned NBA Finals MVP honors in 2015. He has been absolutely vital to our success during five consecutive appearances in the NBA Finals and three championships. We thank Andre for all of his contributions and look forward to seeing his number in the rafters at Chase Center."

In 413 regular-season games over six seasons with the Warriors, Iguodala averaged 7.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.08 steals.

In the playoffs, Iguodala contributed averages of 9.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.17 steals in 104 appearances.

Over 15 career NBA seasons with the Warriors, Philadelphia and Denver, Iguodala has averaged 12.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.5 steals.

Durant officially joins Nets, to wear No. 7

The Brooklyn Nets officially added forward Kevin Durant on Sunday, announcing his arrival as part of a signand-trade deal with the Golden State Warriors a week after the 10-time All-Star announced his intentions to join Brooklyn.

“Kevin is a champion, perennial All-Star and one of the great players of this, or any, generation,” general manager Sean Marks said in a statement.

“Adding a player of Kevin’s caliber to our organization elevates our ability to compete with the elite teams in this league. His tremendous abilities and dedication to his craft have made him as talented an offensive player our game has ever seen and we, as well as all of Brooklyn, are thrilled to welcome Kevin and his family to the Nets.”

Changing teams won’t be new for Durant, after he left the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Warriors three summers ago, but he will be wearing a new number

for the first time since entering the NBA: No. 7.

Durant tweeted a photo Sunday evening on social media of a Nets No. 7 jersey hanging in a locker. He added a statement from his business, Thirty Five Ventures, explaining the decision to change numbers, reading:

“35 took my family and me from Seat Pleasant, MD and showed us the world. 35 allowed me to meet people that I never would’ve had the chance to meet, experience things I would never have had the chance to experience, and achieve things that I never would have been able to achieve.

“35 allowed me to go to the University of Texas to play basketball, 35 allowed me to achieve my dream of playing in the NBA in Seattle. 35 allowed me to play basketball in Oklahoma City and form bonds and friendships that will last a lifetime.

“Lastly, 35 allowed me to go to the Bay Area and win two championships and form brotherhoods that no time or distance will ever break.

“35 was chosen in honor of someone very near and dear to me. I will always honor him and honor the number 35. But as I start this new chapter in my basketball life, the number I’ll be wearing on my back is the number 7 next time you see me on the floor. One time Brooklyn.”

Durant has worn No. 35 since he was 16, first donning it to represent the age of one of his youth coaches who was shot and killed in Maryland, according to a New York Times feature published in 2017.

The Warriors last week announced they will retire Durant’s No. 35. The Thunder have given out the No. 35 since Durant left, but the expectation is they will retire it in the future.