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Brianna Williams
The Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies bring out the best, or sometimes the worst, in each other.
It’s a rivalry that’s often one-sided but still robust in starpower with Stephen Curry, Ja Morant, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Dillon Brooks going head-to-head. The chirping on and off the court has helped make it one of the chippiest rivalries in the NBA.
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The bad blood has provided fodder for some thrilling basketball games, but how did we get here? The rift between these two squads has spanned four seasons — and it all starts with Andre Iguodala.
The rookies vs. the vet
In July 2019, Memphis acquired Iguodala in a trade with Golden State. The Warriors needed to clear cap space for a sign-and-trade for D’Angelo Russell after Kevin Durant headed to the Brooklyn Nets.
But the 2015 NBA Finals MVP never reported to training camp or expressed interest in suiting up for Memphis. “It’s been a blessing in disguise … I think it’s added some years to my career,” Iguodala said of sitting out on “First Take” in January 2020.
The following month, Memphis agreed to a deal with the Miami Heat that sent Iggy to South Beach. But before