Andre Iguodala could end up not playing in the season as the prospect of him joining a new team appears to grow dimmer by the day. Only a few days before the trade deadline, the former Warriors swingman has yet to secure a spot on a team he prefers and reports said the chance is slim the Memphis Grizzlies will buy him out.
The one-time Finals MVP has yet to appear on any Grizzlies game as the latter is looking for a team that might want to take him in. However, February 6 is fast approaching, and there is no hint that Iguodala will be wearing a new jersey.
In case that will not materialize, the assumption is Memphis will be forced to a buyout, which according to Yahoo Sports will not happen as far as the Grizzlies are concerned. It seemed that the club is standing firm on its earlier position that a buyout is out of the question, the report said and citing Marc Stein of The New York Times as its source.
"The Iguodala situation is fascinating because Memphis is adamant that it will not buy him out if a trade fails to materialize by Thursday's 3 PM buzzer," Stein was reported as saying.
And even if a trade deal can be worked out in a few days, any agreement must be in line with the demands set out by Iguodala. For one, his next destination has to be determined by him alone.
It is no secret that the three-time NBA champ is looking to join a title-contender. On that, Iguodala has reportedly provided a list of the team that he targets to join. Supposedly, if none of the listed teams would be willing to talk with Memphis, then the sixth-man will just opt to skip the rest of the season, according to NBC Sports.
"Andre Iguodala is prepared to sit out the rest of this season if Memphis isn't able to orchestrate a trade with one of the agreed-upon teams he designated by Thursday's trade deadline," the report quoted David Aldridge of The Athletic as saying.
As things stand now, it seems more likely that Iguodala will not be playing for any team in the season unless he agrees to make some adjustments. It has been said that the Los Angeles Lakers want to take him in, but the club lacks the assets to even start a negotiation that would interest the Grizzlies.
In the same way, a buyout is a remote possibility so long as Iguodala is unwilling to give up a sizeable amount of what is owed to him. But he and Memphis have until March 1 to hammer out a buyout deal, which should pave the way for Iguodala to join up with a team bound for the playoffs.
