Revisiting The Andre Iguodala Trade Back In 2012

Apr 14, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Andre Iguodala (9) during the second half against the Portland Trailblazers at the Pepsi Center. The Nuggets won 118-109. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Revisiting The Andre Iguodala Trade

The Denver Nuggets were in need of acquiring some more reinforcement & so-called star power in the 2012-13′ NBA season as they went out and traded for swingman Andre Iguodala of the Philadelphia 76ers. Here is a brief look at what each of the four teams acquired in the four-team trade.

Orlando Magic receive: Arron Afflalo (from Denver), Al Harrington (from Denver), Nikola Vucevic (from Philadelphia), and a protected first-round pick from each of the three teams.
Denver Nuggets receive: Andre Iguodala (from Philadelphia)
Los Angeles Lakers receive: Dwight Howard (from Orlando)
Philadelphia 76ers receive: Andrew Bynum (from Los Angeles), and Jason Richardson (from Philadelphia).

This is a blemish Masai Ujiri created in his short-tenure with the Denver Nuggets. He traded a projected first-round pick to the 76ers for a player in Iguodala who had an expiring contract following the season. Although, you really can’t blame him so much for not knowing that a couple of years later, Denver would be swamped by injuries to key players like Danilo Gallinari, Ty Lawson, JaVale McGee, Nate Robinson, and Wilson Chandler.

Andre Iguodala would leave the Denver Nuggets in the summer as he went to the team that defeated the Nuggets in the first-round of the Western Conference Playoffs — the Golden State Warriors. Iguodala completed a sign-and-trade agreement with Denver to land himself on the Warriors roster. The idea of Gallinari being out and the lack of firepower could have persuaded Iguodala to leave Denver and you can’t blame him. The Warriors had a rising backcourt featuring of the ‘Splash Brothers’ Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. It’s too early to tell but as of right now it’s the best fit for the swingman.

Now that the Nuggets are near the bottom of the Western Conference standings, the trade for Iguodala really sunk the ship. If it weren’t for that roll of the dice trade, Denver would have two potential lottery picks as of right now heading into the offseason. The other lottery pick they inherit is one formerly of the New York Knicks trade back in 2011 consisting of superstar Carmelo Anthony who wanted out of Denver.

Projecting what would have happened if Denver still owned their pick would have been scary. Getting two of the top ten players in the loaded 2014 draft and plugging in the pieces to form them around Lawson, Gallinari, McGee, and Faried would have been mad scary. All Denver can do now is hope for is the Knicks to continue struggling out east to potentially collect a lottery pick in the upcoming draft.