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All signs point to the Golden State Warriors trading Andrew Wiggins during the 2024 NBA offseason. According to Dan Dibley, who covers the team on his 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibs” radio show, Wiggins is not expected to suit up for the Warriors during the 2024-25 season.
“I think it’s over,” Dibley said on February 29. “He will never be a Warrior again. I think the year is over. I think they get to the offseason and find a way to part ways.”
Dibley’s comments came in the wake of Wiggins taking an indefinite leave of absence on February 28 to address what the team described as a “private matter.” As a result, Wiggins has missed Golden State’s last four games, and with just 22 games left in the season, it remains to be seen if he will rejoin the Bay Area squad ahead of the playoffs.
Bruce Brown & Jakob Poeltl to Golden State?
In light of the Warriors possibly trading Wiggins, Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz has put together a hypothetical scenario that would fetch Golden State an intriguing haul from the Toronto Raptors.
The proposed trade sees the Warriors ship out Wiggins, veteran big man Kevon Looney, Gary Payton II and a 2028 first-round pick (lottery-protected) in exchange for former NBA Champion Bruce Brown and Jakob Poeltl.
Swartz explained why Brown, who played a critical role in the Denver Nuggets winning the 2023 NBA title, and Poeltl would both be seamless fits in Golden State.
“Brown can play whatever role the Warriors ask of him, either as a starting forward or sixth man that can handle the ball, be used in the pick-and-roll, spread the floor and play good defense,” Swartz wrote. “Getting Poeltl to play center full-time should help preserve and extend Draymond Green’s career, and the 28-year-old is a skilled rebounder, defender and underrated passer.”
If the hypothetical trade comes to fruition, it will mean a homecoming for Toronto native Wiggins, who has previously spoken about wanting to play for his hometown team.
“I would like to say the Raptors, I want to play for them,” Wiggins told The Toronto Sun in July 2013, a year before he was drafted No. 1 overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
It’s worth noting that the Raptors traded for two Canadians – RJ Barrett and Kelly Olynyk – ahead of the February 18 trade deadline. As such, the addition of Wiggins would mean the Raptors finding another way to connect with its fervent fanbase.
Andrew Wiggins Could Benefit From a Fresh Start
Although Wiggins’ trade value has dropped significantly over the past year or so, the former No. 1 overall pick could still provide some value to a playoff contender.
During the 2022 NBA Playoffs, Wiggins was widely regarded as Golden State’s second-best player behind Stephen Curry. His performance in the 2022 NBA Finals earned him a lot of praise, especially for his defense against Celtics star Jayson Tatum, who shot a paltry 36% from the field due to Wiggins’ defense.
Furthermore, Wiggins was starting to find his groove shortly before taking his leave of absence, shooting a team-high 47.5% from three for the Warriors in the month of February. Earlier in the season, The Toronto native was in and out of Golden State’s starting unit, until coach Steve Kerr started to utilize him again for defensive purposes.
Wiggins is owed $84.7 million over the next three years, which sounds like a lot but could be a bargain deal for the right team in today’s NBA landscape. Most of all, a fresh start could do wonders for the 29-year-old Wiggins, who still has a lot left in the tank.
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