The Golden State Warriors have been getting excellent contributions from players up and down their roster. Everyone buying in and performing at a high level is why the team has achieved everything they have thus far this season, as the Warriors have an NBA-best record of 15-2.
Plenty of attention has been given to their stars in Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. Curry is playing at an MVP level once again, while Green is reengaged looking to claim the mantle as the best defender in the NBA.
One player flying under the radar during all of this success is Andrew Wiggins. The Warriors acquired Wiggins, what turned out to be the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and a second-round pick in the 2021 NBA Draft from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for D’Angelo Russell, Jacob Evans and Omari Spellman.
At the time of the deal, everyone assumed Wiggins was just a placeholder for a bigger deal down the line. Golden State had the assets to make a blockbuster trade and his contract would be central to that.
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The Warriors didn’t find a trade that they liked, but it may ultimately end up being for the better. In his two-plus seasons with the Warriors, Andrew Wiggins has finally begun coming into his own and realizing some of the potential that led to him being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.
Wiggins is second on the team behind Curry in scoring, averaging 19.1 points per game. He is on pace to set a new career-high in shooting percentage at 49.4, which would break the 47.7 he shot last season. He is adding 4.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists in only 29.4 minutes per game.
The minutes are a career-low for Wiggins, but he is making the most of his playing time. Golden State has a better net rating when he is off the court, but his net rating of +11 is still an incredibly impressive number to have.
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Wiggins is turning into the two-way wing that people envisioned he would become when he entered the NBA out of Kansas. He and Green are one of the most formidable forward duos in the NBA when it comes to the defensive side of the ball.
Still only 26-years old, Andrew Wiggins has plenty of good basketball ahead of him. He is an integral part of this team and will fill a similar role that Harrison Barnes did early on in their dynasty once Klay Thompson is up to speed.
Having Wiggins as a third or fourth option will make the Golden State Warriors that much more difficult to slow down once their rotation is back to full health. He could still be used in a trade package down the road, but he has shown enough that Golden State may be better off keeping him at this point as he develops into an excellent two-way player.
