Andrew Wiggins has been given the opportunity for a fresh start with the Golden State Warriors, though he appeared in just 12 games with his new team before the season was postponed. However, even if the 2019-20 season does not resume, it sounds like Wiggins will still be a part of the Warriors’ plan going forward.
In a piece discussing the possibility of the Warriors pursuing Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Slater of The Athletic noted that Wiggins has a ton of money remaining on the max contract he signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The former No. 1 overall pick will make $29 million next season, $31 million the year after and almost $34 million in 2022-23. While Wiggins would almost certainly need to be moved if Golden State makes a run at Giannis, the team is reportedly not considering him a rental.
According to Slater, the Warriors have said both privately and publicly that they expect Wiggins to be their starting small forward next season. Still, many believe Wiggins’ tenure in Golden State will be short-lived like D’Angelo Russel’s was before he was sent to Minnesota as part of the Wiggins deal.
Wiggins has averaged an impressive 19.4 points per game in 12 starts with the Warriors. He seems to be happy to be a part of a winning culture despite the way things have gone this year, while Russell may not have been getting along with his teammates.
The Warriors would obviously dump Wiggins in a heartbeat if they had a legitimate opportunity to land Antetokounmpo, but Golden State is also the perfect place for the 25-year-old Wiggins to finally live up to expectations.
