Getty Kevon Looney #5, Klay Thompson #11, Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Golden State Warriors look on from the bench.
The Golden State Warriors are desperate for a change, and the NBA’s February 8 trade deadline should soon usher in a major one.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst compiled a list of each team’s most likely trade candidate, which he published on Tuesday, January 30. In something of a surprise, Windhorst dubbed Andrew Wiggins the most likely Warrior to go over the coming nine days and not veteran point guard Chris Paul — who is injured, playing on an expiring contract (the likes of which several teams will be interested to acquire) and has been a part of the organization for less than one season.
The Warriors are in a tough spot, with an expensive and underachieving roster. It makes sense to shop Chris Paul’s $30 million contract, which could potentially expire, but adding future salary to the Warriors’ books is hard to fathom,” Windhorst wrote. “Wiggins is in the second season of a four-year, $109 million deal, and his value is low. It’s not a good time to make a deal.”
Andrew Wiggins Playing Worst Basketball Since Joining Warriors
Getty Andrew Wiggins of the Golden State Warriors (right).
Wiggins’ value is low because his play through the first half of the 2023-24 season has been the worst since he arrived in Golden State.
The former No. 1 overall pick and critical piece of the Warriors’ title run just two seasons ago is scoring at a career-low clip of 12.5 points per game across 40 games played in the 2023-24 campaign, per Basketball Reference.
Wiggins is shooting below 45% from the field for the first time since joining the Warriors in 2019-20 and has connected on only 31.3% of his three-point shots. His attempts from deep have decreased by almost half, from 6.1 tries per game last season to 3.2 deep heaves this year.
The Dubs forward is also below his career averages for rebounds (4.2 per game this season against 4.5 career) and assists (1.6 per contest this season against 2.3 career).
Due to Wiggins’ play, Golden State may actually need to attach an asset — either a young player or a draft pick — just to get another team to take on his contract. That said, such a move can still make sense for a Warriors’ team staring down the barrel of a massive tax bill during a season in which they are 20-24 and currently sit 12th in the Western Conference — two spots out of the NBA’s Play-In Tournament.
Warriors Could Attempt to Trade Andrew Wiggins and Chris Paul
Getty Chris Paul (left) of the Golden State Warriors.
Dealing Wiggins for a discount would itself represent the Dubs conceding that they simply don’t have it this season. However, dealing Wiggins and Paul — who have started a combined 40 of 72 games in which they have played between them — would be tantamount to raising a white flag and punting on the season.
Warriors fans aren’t likely to receive a reset absent disgust and disdain, as every year the team doesn’t capitalize on the presence of Steph Curry is a year of wasted championship potential. That said, clearing more than $56 million off the books in 2024-25 can help the team max out its potential over the remainder of Curry’s career.
Golden State will also have the option to move off of Klay Thompson next season, which would open up possibilities in free agency. In either case, Thompson is playing on the final year of his $190 million deal this season. If the Warriors do bring him back, they should be able to do so at a significantly decreased salary, which will help the franchise take full advantage of Curry’s late 30s.