Warriors' Andre Iguodala expected to make season debut vs. Magic

Warriors forward Andre Iguodala announced via his "Point Forward" podcast that he intends to make his season debut on Saturday when Golden State hosts the Magic.

“We got 24 hours ’til I step on the court, man. It’s a go,” Iguodala told co-host Evan Turner. “Hope the fan base is excited. I’m a little nervous, but actually, I’m also excited. I try to play it cool, calm, and collected all the time, but excited to get there on the court. It’s finally happened.”

Iguodala, who weighed the possibility of retiring this past offseason, eventually elected to re-sign with the Warriors and made the deal official just before training camp got underway. However, his 2022-2023 debut has been delayed due to a left hip issue.

It’s unclear how much action Iguodala will see now that he has been cleared to return. Last season, he appeared in only 31 games and averaged 19.5 minutes per contest during the regular season, then logged just 61 total minutes in seven playoff appearances.

The 19-year veteran will turn 39 later this month and at this point in his career is probably more valued for his veteran leadership in the locker room than his contributions on the court. Still, while he no longer offers much offensively, he’s a versatile defender and will give head coach Steve Kerr one more option off the bench as the club awaits the return of Stephen Curry.