The addition of Harrison Barnes in the Dallas Mavericks roster immediately put him on top of the lineup - a position he never held since he had always come behind Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. With the responsibility of being the number one player in the Dirk Nowitzki squad, the former Golden State Warriors star is said to be gunning for an Andre Iguodala trade to boost his new team with Andrew Bogut.
The addition of Kevin Durant in the Golden State Warriors puts into question the status of Andre Iguodala in the lineup. Since Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green appear to be immovable stars in the roster, fans of the Dub Nation fear that the 32-year-old wingman will be off the starting group soon. With that in mind, it appears that former Golden State Warriors teammates Andrew Bogut and Harrison Barnes come to his rescue.
"Out of respect, this is Dirk's team," said Harrison Barnes when asked of his plans with the Dallas Mavericks. He added, "He's put in the years and won a championship. But I have to go out and earn that. People assume that just because you get paid a lot of money and have a lot of attention that all of the sudden you're guaranteed this many shots. I have to prove that every day in practice. I have to prove that to the coaching staff, and ultimately, if I'm going to be the guy taking shots, I've got to prove it to Dirk."
The former Golden State Warriors star went on to share, "You have to have that balance of scoring and playmaking, and learn how to be a closer. I think that's the beauty of it, that I get to learn from one of the best to ever do it in Dirk Nowitzki. You talk about guys closing games, he's got to be top-five all time. I'm just looking forward to learning from that guy."
Meanwhile, rumors are rife that the impending Dirk Nowitzki retirement has pushed the Dallas Mavericks to pursue big names in the free agency market. Following a lucrative deal with Harrison Barnes, the Deron Williams squad also acquired Andrew Bogut. In what appears to be their attempt at creating their very own super team, which can battle the group of Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry, the Dallas Mavericks are speculated to also recruit Andre Iguodala.
At this point, though, the NBA trade for Andre Iguodala to the Dallas Mavericks remains uncertain. No official comment has been given by any of the parties involved. However, fans of the Golden State Warriors feel that an Andre Iguodala trade might just be more prudent instead of letting the wingman warm the benches next season. With Kevin Durant coming in strong for the Stephen Curry squad, there is a huge chance that the core lineup will be altered.
