The Warriors believe a motivated Wiggins is poised for a rebound season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO – More than rising young up-and-comers Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski, rookies in De’Anthony Melton, Kyle Anderson and Buddy Hield, or anyone else on the roster, Andrew Wiggins is undoubtedly the biggest X-factor. in the Warriors digging themselves out of the loaded Western Conference and climbing back into contention.
There’s no question what Steph Curry can still do after his superhero performance in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. Draymond Green, when locked in and available, is still one of basketball’s great minds and defensive players at 34 years old.
Wiggins becoming a Warrior at the 2020 trade deadline began to erase the reputation he created during his five-plus years with the Minnesota Timberwolves as a disappointment of a former No. 1 overall draft pick, becoming a 2022 NBA All-Star and being the second-best player on a championship team months later.
After what was arguably the worst season of his 10-year career, the Warriors are confident that a “highly motivated” Wiggins is ready to put last year in the rearview mirror and prove critics wrong again.
“I think he’d be the first to admit he didn’t have his best season,” Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy said Thursday at Chase Center. “Been in the gym all summer. Can just feel a bit of a different vibe from him this time of year. His body looks great. He’s in good shape, ready to go.”
While Wiggins was back in the Bay Area for just a few days after his father’s death earlier this month, it didn’t take long for Steve Kerr to notice Wiggins on the court.
“He looks physically really fit,” Kerr said. “I think he also looks … just talking to him, he sounds very motivated. He’s very calm. I think he’s in a place where he knows the last couple of years have been tough for a lot of reasons, and I think he’s ready to get back to where he was a few years ago.
“He’s at the age where he’s right in his physical prime, and we’ve seen him do it. He helped us win a championship. I expect a big year from Wiggs.”
During his tenure in Minnesota, Wiggins played all 82 games three times and 81 games once. In his first two seasons with the Warriors, Wiggins played 71 and 73 games, but then only 37 in the 2022-23 season due to personal reasons. While personal reasons played a role in Wiggins missing games last season, he also dealt with an ankle sprain twice, as well as other physical ailments, but still managed to play 71 games but only started 59.
From mid-December to early January, Wiggins came off the bench in 10 consecutive games. Kerr then put him back in the starting lineup against the Toronto Raptors, only for Wiggins to score three points in a 15-point loss. He was back on the bench the next game, a 29-point blowout loss against the New Orleans Pelicans, and was back to starting the rest of the way.
All season long, Wiggins looked nothing like the player who was key to the Warriors winning their fourth title under Kerr two years ago. His scoring dipped to a career-low 13.2 points per game. His 35.8 percent 3-point percentage was his worst since joining the Warriors, and his 116.3 defensive rating was the worst among all Golden State players.
That’s a far cry from a player who put up 17.2 points per game and shot 39.3 percent from three in his All-Star campaign before then averaging 18.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game in the 2022 NBA Finals with a 103.4 defensive rating guarding the Boston Celtics. ‘ star duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Physically and mentally, that’s the Wiggins the Warriors expect to see again.
Who will be the Warriors’ second leading scorer behind Curry this season now that Klay Thompson is wearing a Dallas Mavericks jersey is one of the biggest mysteries of next season, and Kerr appears to be pushing Wiggins to take the mantle, with a few changes. coming to the team’s offensive scheme.
“I think there’s also a void left by Klay’s absence that we have to fill,” Kerr said. “That’s a lot of points to score.
“But it also means we have to rethink how we do things, and Wiggs will definitely be featured. He’s a guy that’s proven he’s a 20-point-a-night guy, and we’re going to have a lot of faith in him.”
Confidence quotes are a positive sign. They mean nothing until the talk is turned into production, starting a week from Saturday when the Warriors face the LA Clippers to open the preseason in Hawaii.
