The Golden State Warriors won the NBA championship just 27 months ago, but since then, they have quickly disintegrated into a very mediocre squad.
They lost in the second round of the 2023 playoffs, and last season, they failed to make the playoffs, making it the first time they didn’t do so while being relatively healthy since 2012.
The franchise has been clinging to the faint hope that it could pull off a major trade that would restore its elite status, and should it make such a move, forward Andrew Wiggins could possibly be involved.
Head coach Steve Kerr told the media that Wiggins looks very fit and seems to be motivated to get back on track, per Anthony Slater.
Steve Kerr on Andrew Wiggins: “He looks physically really fit. Speaking with him, he sounds very motivated…He knows the last couple years have been tough for a lot of reasons. I think he’s primed to get back to where he was a couple years ago.” pic.twitter.com/Ec3bXCouQf
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) September 26, 2024
In his first five and a half seasons with the Minnesota Wiggins, Wiggins had a reputation as a low-efficiency chucker, and it was thought he couldn’t be a major part of a winning team.
But after being traded to the Warriors during the 2019-20 season, he reinvented himself.
His shooting percentages rose considerably, and he even made himself into one of the NBA’s best wing defenders.
That earned him a starting spot in the 2022 NBA All-Star Game, and he was an integral part of the Warriors that season as they claimed the world championship.
Last season, Wiggins had a bit of an off year as his scoring average and efficiency dropped, and the season before that, he only appeared in 37 games due to an ankle injury and a personal issue.
Golden State lost Klay Thompson, one of the main players during their dynasty years, in free agency this summer, and if they are to remain at least somewhat competitive, they will need Wiggins to have one of his best years ever.
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