Getty Jonathan Kuminga and Andrew Wiggins of the Golden State Warriors.
The Golden State Warriors have a roster crunch they need to resolve before their depth pulls them down deeper in the standings.
Front and center is the Andrew Wiggins–Jonathan Kuminga conundrum that became more pronounced when Kuminga griped over his playing time after their Christmas Day loss.
According to The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami, “Kuminga and Wiggins could be the Warriors’ two most attractive trade assets in a few weeks.”
“If the Warriors pair Kuminga with [Chris] Paul’s expiring contract, could they get a two-way wing like Toronto’s OG Anunoby or Pascal Siakam to help them in a playoff run? Or would Wiggins, a Canadian, be interesting to the Raptors? There are risks there, too, since both Raptors forwards can become free agents this summer, but that’s the level of player the Warriors almost certainly would be seeking,” Kawakami wrote.
If the pair can’t play together, which numbers back it up, someone’s gotta go.
“Though I’ve said in the past that the Warriors might be reluctant to trade Wiggins so soon after he signed a relatively bargain-rate contract extension specifically so he could remain with this team, I’ve since heard that this would not be a major barrier for the Warriors to explore Wiggins’ trade market,” Kawakami wrote. “Especially if he can’t play with Kuminga and the Warriors decide that Kuminga is their full-time small forward.”
Wiggins is in the first season of a four-year, $109 million deal. On the other hand, Kuminga is eligible for a rookie extension next summer.
It’s like the Draymond Green–Jordan Poole situation all over again, minus the punching. New Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. has to choose between the two forwards moving forward.
Golden State has lost two straight since Kuminga aired his desire for more playing time.
Wiggins again enjoyed the bigger slice of the pie during Thursday’s loss to the shorthanded Miami Heat.
Kuminga continued to start but he only played for 23 minutes, scoring 10 points on 5-of-11 shooting and added five rebounds and one assist. He finished with a team-worst minus-26 plus-minus tied with Klay Thompson.
Wiggins played 26 minutes off the bench, delivering 11 points on 4-of-11 shooting and issuing four assists. The Warriors outscored the Heat by five points per 100 possessions when he was on the floor.
Kerr had been reluctant to play them together since they are not great rebounders despite their physical gifts and athleticism. But he tried at the start of the second quarter which proved to be a disaster. They lost the lead with Kuminga and Wiggins on the floor together and they never recovered.
In 109 minutes together this season, the Warriors are minus-23.2. They are the worst Warriors’ two-man lineup among pairs who have played more than 100 minutes.
Warriors Rookie Owns Loss
Rookie guard Brandin Podziemski, who grabs more rebounds (5.3) than Kuminga (3.9) and Wiggins (4.4), owned their recent loss.
“That falls on my plate,” Podziemski told reporters after their 114-102 loss to the Heat. “I’m the guy that’s supposed to bring the energy and hustle plays and effort plays and I didn’t do that. I can usually gauge that by how many steals, deflections, and rebounds I get and tonight was probably my worst performance of the year in that case. So, I think it starts with me.”
The 6-foot-4 Podziemski produced 10 points, three rebounds and six assists against only one turnover. But his nine-game streak of collecting a steal ended against the Heat, who played without Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry and Caleb Martin.
Podziemski just had a career-high five steals on Christmas against the defending champion Denver Nuggets.
Steve Kerr’s Dilemma
With Gary Payton II set to return, Steve Kerr again has to make a tough decision to squeeze the veteran guard back into the Warriors rotation.
The roster depth of the Warriors has been a gift and a curse.
“I think about it every day,” Kerr told reporters after December 27 practice. “That is my job, of course.”
“It’s really hard. Some years, it’s just really obvious who your top nine are, and you just roll with those guys. The guys 10 to 14 understand their roles, and you work with them. You try to fit them in to keep them going.”