Getty Golden State Warriors wing Andrew Wiggins handles the ball during Game 5 of the 2022 NBA Finals.
The Golden State Warriors locked down two significant pieces of their future in one day this weekend, handing hefty extensions to Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins.
But one insider believes that with the Warriors signing Wiggins to a favorable contract, he could eventually end up on the trade block as the team’s younger players take on bigger roles.
The 27-year-old wing is coming off arguably the best season of his career, earning his first-ever All-Star nod and showing off a new dimension to his game during the team’s title run. While he projects to be an important part of the rotation this season, Wiggins could eventually see his role taken over by 2021 lottery picks Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody, leaving him expendable.
Wiggins’ Future With Golden State
Wiggins came to the Warriors in 2019, the centerpiece of a trade that sent D’Angelo Russell to the Minnesota Timberwolves. His shooting showed steady improvement through those three years, shooting a career-best 39.3 percent from behind the 3-point arc last season.
Wiggins also added another dimension to his game in the playoffs as the Warriors unveiled a new small-ball lineup. Head coach Steve Kerr called Wiggins the key to the lineup’s success, as he took on a role defending opposing big men and becoming a primary rebounder for the Warriors, a role he had not previously played.
Wiggins embraced the role, grabbing a career-high 16 rebounds in Game 4 of the NBA Finals as the Warriors tied and ultimately took control of the series.
One Western Conference executive told Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney that the expansion of Wiggins’ game could have gotten him a big payday in free agency, but he instead chose loyalty to the Warriors.
“That one was a good deal for the Warriors, I think if Andrew had gone into free agency, he would have gotten more,” the executive said. “Just the way the narrative around him has changed so much, his defense and rebounding plus his scoring. And his whole attitude. Teams that could create cap space for him, there would be some good fits.”
Because the Warriors were able to sign Wiggins to a favorable contract, the team has the flexibility to trade him when the younger, developing players are ready for bigger roles.
“He is still young, and if Kuminga really develops, if Moody really develops, he is going to have trade value throughout the length of that contract,” the executive said. “Really good deal for them.”
Wiggins Will Play Key Role
While he could one day wind up on the trade block, Wiggins doesn’t appear to be going anywhere soon. The Warriors have praised his fit with the franchise after spending two years developing him into the player he became last season, leaving in the past any consideration that the former No. 1 overall pick was a bust.
“Wiggs was so good and played such an important role and I think what you saw last year was a culmination of two and a half years being with this organization,” Kerr said in a September appearance on 95.7 The Game’s “Damon and Ratto” show.
Kerr was also full of praise for Wiggins’ ability to go outside his normal role in the playoffs.
“He couldn’t have played that role any better in the Finals especially, but really throughout the playoffs,” Kerr continued. “The way he rebounded, the way he guarded the opponent’s best players, he was just awesome.”