Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr never fails to remind anyone who would listen how Andre Iguodala's acceptance of his off the bench role set the tone for the newly minted NBA champions all season. But it was David Lee, the second-longest tenured player on the team that wound up making the biggest sacrifice in the long run. And now, reports have surfaced saying that the Warriors will be returning the favor by working together with the former All-Star's camp to find a new home for Lee.

As reported by ESPN, the Warriors have privately acknowledged to both Lee and his agent, Mark Bartelstein, that it would be unfair for the versatile forward to continue playing a limited role with a team that accidentally found a new identity while Lee was out injured, especially after he accepted his diminished role like a true professional.

The 32-year-old lost his starting spot to Draymond Green after suffering a hamstring injury early in the season. And after the Warriors jumped to a league-leading 21-2 start with the defensive minded Green as the starter, Kerr decided to keep what was working and convince Lee to settle for limited minutes in the fifth year of his six-year $80 million deal with the Warriors.

"It's been a really interesting year. I've actually gotten to see kind of the other side of the NBA. I've always been the guy that's out there for 35 to 40 minutes. I've never really, I don't think, had the true respect for guys"¦to see guys that don't get a chance to play very often and come out and produce on a consistent basis"”I never knew how difficult that was," Lee said during an interview on ESPN radio.

"I'll have chances from here. It's not like I'm trying to prove to people that I'm able to play this game. Everybody knows that I'm capable. But it's been kind of cool to put the ego aside and say, "Hey, this about something bigger than me.'"