The Golden State Warriors are reportedly interested in reuniting with an old friend.
Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga became eligible to be traded last week and wasted little time submitting a formal trade request. According to NBA reporter Marc Stein, one of the options Golden State is weighing with Kuminga on the trade block revolves around bringing back Andrew Wiggins, whom Golden State traded to the Miami Heat last February.
With a serious need for perimeter scoring next to Curry, the Warriors may look to Wiggins to help fill some of the void left by the injured Jimmy Butler. The Warriors are keenly familiar with what Wiggins can do on the offensive end.
The former No. 1 overall pick earned his lone All-Star nod in 2021-22, when he helped lead Golden State to its fourth and arguably most improbable championship run of the Steph Curry era. Wiggins averaged 16.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in his six seasons with the Warriors.
It’s worth noting that the Warriors’ plans for Kuminga have changed since Butler went down with a season-ending torn ACL. Kuminga went from getting little to no burn in Steve Kerr’s rotation to becoming a featured player in Golden State’s offense. There’s a world wherein Kuminga plays himself back into the team’s good graces.
However, it’s also possible that the Warriors are only looking to showcase the former lottery pick to resuscitate his trade value, whether to acquire Wiggins or otherwise.
