Warriors Expected to Actively Shop Andrew Wiggins

Highlights

The Warriors are expected to shop forward Andrew Wiggins in hopes of finding a potential trade this offseason.
Wiggins’ performance has declined after his All-Star season, and the Warriors are likely looking to revamp a portion of the roster.
Golden State faces a crossroads: keep an aging core, retool around Curry, or launch a rebuild.

The Golden State Warriors are expected to actively shop All-Star forward Andrew Wiggins in trade talks this offseason, according to Evan Sidery of Forbes:

The Warriors are expected to actively shop Andrew Wiggins in trade talks this offseason. Wiggins has $84.7 million remaining on his contract over the next three years. With the emergence of Jonathan Kuminga, Golden State will attempt to offload Wiggins for a better fit.

In 2020, Wiggins was traded to the Warriors, following a polarizing run with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He instantly thrived in his new role with Golden State. During the 2020-21 campaign, he recorded then-career highs in three-point percentage (38.0), true shooting percentage (56.8), defensive win shares (2.7), and win shares per 48 minutes (.080).

Wiggins continued to refine his game. In 2021-22, he garnered his first All-Star selection, averaging 17.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.0 steals, while shooting 47.3 percent from the field and 39.3 from deep. The Warriors cruised to third place in the Western Conference and went on to win the NBA Championship.

Unfortunately, Wiggins missed the majority of the 2022-23 season, appearing in only 37 games. The 2023-24 season did not fare much better for the forward. He appeared in 71 games but averaged a career-low 27.0 minutes. As a result, he also posted career lows in points (13.2), assists (1.7), and steals (0.6).

The 23-24 version of Wiggins just did not represent his “usual self”. At 29 years old, he should be in the midst of his prime. However, the Warriors were outscored by 6.2 points per 100 possessions with Wiggins on the floor last season, per Cleaning the Glass. That is far cry from 21-22, when they were outscoring opponents by 0.8 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor.

It is worth noting that Wiggins missed time due to a “personal family matter” last season. Given his age, athleticism, and extenuating circumstances, he is a great bounce-back candidate for interested teams.

Warriors Will Face a Crossroads This Offseason

The Warriors find themselves in a precarious position. Stephen Curry and Draymond Green remain under contract, but their current roster is not close to contention. Last season, they finished 10th in the Western Conference and missed the playoffs.

Klay Thompson is set to hit free agency. The five-time All-Star is a franchise icon, but he is coming off a down season and has a worrisome injury history. Signing him to a rich, long-term deal carries significant risk.

Do the Warriors want to be locked into an aging core of Curry, Thompson, and Green? If not, what is the alternative? There is an argument for blowing it up and launching a full rebuild, but I do not believe the franchise will entertain trading Curry (understandably so). At this stage of his career, Green will probably not net a ton of value on the trade market.

Therefore, their desire to explore trades for Wiggins makes sense. He is still relatively young and could give the front office the flexibility to reshape the supporting cast. Still, the Warriors run the risk of selling low. If they hold onto him, he could bounce back, either becoming their missing piece or attracting a larger return at the trade deadline.

All statistics courtesy of Statmuse, Cleaning the Glass, NBA, and Basketball Reference.