In 2013, Iguodala was a member of the Denver Nuggets, posting averages of 13.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in his last season with the team, spanning 80 games, ESPN reports.
The Denver Nuggets were interested in keeping Iguodala on the team. However, he was looking to exit his final year of the contract to become a free agent. The Denver Nuggets offered him a $60 million five-year deal, with $52 million guaranteed, to try to keep him on the team, per ESPN.
ESPN reports that other teams were vetting for his talents, including the Sacramento Kings, which reportedly offered him a $52 million four-year deal, and the Golden States Warriors, which were looking to put up $48 million for the same timeframe.
Rejecting The $60M Offer From The Denver Nuggets
Iguodala did not respond promptly enough to the Sacramento Kings, so the team rescinded the offer, per ESPN. He also turned down the Denver Nuggets’ offer because he thought his performance statistics justified a better deal.
“When I came out or I’m going to my free agency… I’m comparing all my good numbers, whether it’s how many games I’m winning based on the the team I got, how many points, assists, rebounds combined I got,” he said on the “7PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony & The Kid Mero” podcast. “I’m in the top five in the league [for] steals. I’m always top five in the league… So, you got to be able to pull different numbers to put yourself in the position because you’re negotiating, and they trying to pay you as less as possible.”
On the podcast, Iguodala shared how negotiating these deals could turn fans against players, and that even the equipment manager questioned why he was asking for so much money. “I remember I turned down $60 [million] on my extension,” he explained. “$60 [million] was like $200 [million] now… I turned it down ’cause I’m, like, I’m worth $80 [million] at least.”
Andre Iguodala Joins The Golden State Warriors
Ultimately, Iguodala took less money, signing on to play for the Golden State Warriors in 2013 with a four-year, $48 million contract, per ESPN.
When asked about what prompted this decision, “I didn’t see as more [money]. It may be more from the team [perspective], but I didn’t see it as more from here because it was unguaranteed,” he said, according to The Denver Post. “When you say unguaranteed, it may sound bigger, but it’s not really bigger. Kind of like football. So, sitting down with my people, we saw a different thing than that.”
Beyond the money, Iguodala’s decided to transfer teams because he believed his game better aligned with the Golden State Warriors.
“For my game, where I’m trying to go in my career, I felt like it was a better fit for me here. I was able to see Mark do his thing for a couple of years, the GM had been there a couple of years,” he said, per The Denver Post. “They were trying to establish something with new ownership. It was just a really good sell, opportunity for me to end my career here.”
Winning With The Golden State Warriors
The decision paid off. Iguodala earned four NBA championships and he was honored as the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2015, per ESPN.
Andre Iguodala retired from the league in 2023 after 19 seasons, per a press release announcing his retirement.
