Iguodala: Warriors title would 'save me from kicking Steve Kerr's ass' for bench role

One of the biggest successes of Steve Kerr's rookie season as a head coach has been his ability to foster buy-in from all of his players, regardless of role.

That's not difficult when it's a superstar role for Steph Curry, or expanding roles for emerging stars like Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. But the Golden State Warriors' bench boss has had to manage egos and playing time thanks to a bevy of depth and talent, "one of them good problems," as Marlo Stanfield would say.

It can not have been an easy task. David Lee, the team's highest-salaried player, lost his starting job to Green and has played sparingly due to both injury and ineffectiveness. All the while, he's played the good soldier, accepting a precipitous drop in minutes, usage, and importance for the greater good.

And even that may not match the sacrifice of Andre Iguodala, who has embraced a role off the bench despite remaining effective, particularly on the defensive end. While it's something he didn't seem to accept with open arms initially, it didn't take long for him to adjust and excel in the role, changing his focus to "making everybody better."

He didn't start a game all year, instead averaging 7.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, three assists, and 1.2 steals in 26.9 minutes off the bench, often drawing the most difficult wing assignment on the defensive end. He placed fourth in Sixth Man of the Year voting as a result.

It's been an unquestionable success, and the Warriors' ability to bring multiple quality defenders off the bench to help slow LeBron James - don't discount Shaun Livingston accepting a well-paid reserve role this summer, either - is a key reason they're the favorite to win the NBA championship.

Iguodala's bench role should also serve as a motivator for Kerr, it turns out. Asked what a championship would mean to him, Iguodala said it could be Kerr's saving grace, and if the team comes up short, he may have to lay the smackdown on his coach for bringing him off the bench.

It couldn't be more clear how much the Warriors and Kerr like each other. To hear Andrew Bogut tell it, it may be Kerr's own lack of ego that helps get others to put aside their pride for the good of the team:

Or he just wanted to get one more shot in at Mark Jackson.