Getty Warriors wing Andrew Wiggins
For many, representing your country in the Olympics is more important than playing in any professional league. Unfortunately for Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins, he won’t have the chance to play for Team Canada in the 2024 Olympics.
Doug Smith of The Toronto Star reported that Wiggins is “out of Canadian Olympic picture, according to a source. Golden State Warriors playing hardball with veteran they are looking to move.”
Andrew Wiggins Being ‘Dangled in Trade Talks’: Report
The Athletic’s John Hollinger speculated on X that the Warriors were keeping Wiggins from playing for Team Canada because of a medical issue.
But The Ringer’s Logan Murdock seemed to agree with Smith’s assessment, writing on June 26 that Wiggins was being “aggressively dangled in trade talks.” The worst-case scenario for the Warriors would be for Wiggins to play in the Olympics and then suffer an injury that would make him virtually untradable.
Wiggins is in the midst of a four-year, $109 million contract he signed in 2023, with a $26.2 million salary in 2024-25 and a player option in 2026-27. It’s not so much that the former No. 1 overall pick isn’t worth the salary, but more that his role has been somewhat undefined and the Warriors want to add a player that better fits their needs.
This isn’t a new phenomenon, as Wiggins has struggled to blend in since joining the Warriors back in 2019-20. Since then, his scoring has dipped every year, down to his 2023-24 average of just 13.2 per game. Still, at just 29 years old, Wiggins has a lot of valuable basketball left to play and would be a great addition to teams looking for a two-way wing.
One has to wonder how the Warriors stance will affect the relationship with Wiggins moving forward. Taking away the opportunity to represent his country isn’t on the level of not wanting him to play in pickup games or a celebrity game.
As the Warriors chase Paul George and try to hold onto Klay Thompson, it will be interesting to see if Chris Paul and Wiggins can be paired in a trade. Either way, the Warriors will look considerably different at the start of the 2024-25 season.
Team Canada’s Chances
Obviously, it’s a huge blow to lose Wiggins for the Olympics, especially considering the squandering of momentum that was gained by winning a bronze medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
Led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Canadian team’s training camp roster boasts 12 current NBA players, including Jamal Murray, Lu Dort and Dillon Brooks. They’ve also included the 2024 NBA Draft’s No. 9 overall pick, Zach Edey.
If there’s a optimistic reaction to Wiggins missing out, it’s that the Canadian team is built to be good for a few Olympic cycles. Bennedict Mathurin and Shaedon Sharpe are two players who have been earmarked for growth within the Canadian basketball ecosystem. General Manager Rowan Barrett told the media (as reported by Esfandiar Baraheni on Forbes.com):
“They’re coming in to learn and to grow,” Barrett said about Sharpe and Mathurin. “We believe they can do some great things with Canada down the line. They’re chomping at the bit. We cannot simply stand pat. We must be on the cutting edge and continue chasing podiums.”
“I firmly believe that we have a player pool and pipeline that stocks us out to the 2032 Olympics and beyond,” Barrett continued. ‘“We are ready.”