Kerr updates Wiggins’ status ahead of Warriors’ final three preseason games originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Coach Steve Kerr eases forward Andrew Wiggins back into the swing of things as the Warriors’ preseason schedule winds down.
Kerr explained to reporters afterward Friday night 109-106 win over the Sacramento Kings that Wiggins is still working his way back from illness, but he will be back soon.
“Wiggs will be back next week,” Kerr said. “He won’t play on Sunday [against the Detroit Pistons]but it’s important to get him back on the floor. We will see [how the lineup looks] when we get there. We’ll play Sunday’s game and then regroup, and we’ll have a good week of practice and a few games, and go from there.”
So, Wiggins could play in Tuesday’s preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers in Las Vegas. The Warriors and the Lakers will meet again in Friday’s preseason finale at Chase Center.
Wiggins missed the entire preseason so far, but Kerr and Co. hopes to have him rounding into shape in time for the Oct. 23 season opener against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Now that Klay Thompson is a Dallas Maverick, the Warriors desperately need a second scoring option behind Steph Curry, a role Wiggins is capable ofassuming he can stay healthy.
Wiggins has shined since coming to the Bay in 2020, but he has also struggled with consistency. After his All-Star 2021-22 season, which helped bring the Warriors another NBA championship, Wiggins regressed sharply, averaging just 14.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game in the next two seasons. The scoring average is well below his career mark of 18.2 points, and he also missed 56 games during that time.
