Andre Iguodala Would’ve Signed with Mavs over Warriors If Not for Dwight Howard

David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images

The NBA history books could have looked very different if Dwight Howard wasn’t talking to Mark Cuban about playing for the Dallas Mavericks in the summer of 2013.

Appearing on The Old Man and the Three podcast, Andre Iguodala told a story about how he wanted to sign with the Mavs as a free agent before Howard’s prolonged negotiations with the team caused everything to be put on hold (starts at 4:10 mark). 

Howard and Iguodala were both unrestricted free agents in the summer of 2013. The eight-time All-Star center spoke with several teams after having a disappointing 2012-13 season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Mavs put together an epic pitch to Howard, including a video presentation that Cuban posted on his official blog for fans to see.

Howard also had meetings with the Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors and Atlanta Hawks. He ultimately decided to sign with the Rockets and play alongside James Harden.

While the Mavericks were busy pitching to Howard, Iguodala signed a four-year, $48 million deal with Golden State. He played a significant role in their historic run that began with the 2014-15 season, including being named Finals MVP in 2015.

Iguodala spent a total of six seasons with the Warriors, helping them win three championships and reach the NBA Finals in five consecutive seasons from 2014 to 2019.

Howard spent three years in Houston before opting out of his deal. He has played for the Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers over the past five seasons.