The roller coaster that is the Golden State Warriors’ 2023-24 campaign continues to ebb and flow on the track, with the team losing back-to-back games amid Draymond Green’s suspension.
And while the club’s dynastic core likely won’t go anywhere before the end of the season, this unexpected inconsistency could leave the door open for other players before the NBA’s Feb. 8 trade deadline.
According to AthleticismAccording to Tim Kawakami, Golden State might even be willing to explore trades involving a player Steve Kerr once considered one of the Warriors’ “fundamental six.” Specifically, former No. 1 overall pick, All-Star and 2022 Finals hero Andrew Wiggins:
“While I have said in the past that the Warriors might be reluctant to trade Wiggins so soon after he signed a contract extension at a relatively bargain price, specifically so he could stay on this team, I have since heard that it would not be a good deal. major obstacle for the Warriors wanting to explore the Wiggins trade market.
Especially if he can’t play with it [Jonathan] Kuminga and the Warriors decide that Kuminga is their full-time small forward. »
At the very least, Wiggins’ salary, combined with a recent decline in production, has necessitated some degree of due diligence on potential deals.
Wiggins is having the worst year of his career
Career-low PPG 12.1
Despite some recent misses against the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics, Wiggins has performed better as of late for Kerr and Co.
Over his last 14 games, the 28-year-old has averaged nearly 15 points and five rebounds per game while hitting 44.7 of his shot attempts overall and 42.0 percent from deep. He was also one of six players to earn positive net ratings during that span.
Overall, though, his season was a complete disaster. For the year, Wiggins is averaging career lows in points (12.6), assists (1.3) and steals (0.3), and his effective field goal percentage the pitch’s 46.9 is on track to be its lowest mark since 2018-19.
Meanwhile, the Warriors were outscored by 98 points in Wiggins’ 718 minutes on the court.
Andrew Wiggins – On/Off Field Stats 2023-24
In the field
Off the field
Points
62.1
62,5
Points adverses
65,7
58,6
Note offensive
111,7
116.2
Defensive rating
118.2
109,5
Net rating
-6,5
6.6
In fact, he was doing so poorly that Kerr saw fit to move him to the second unit earlier this month. And the move coincided with Kuminga’s promotion to the first team (to compensate for Green’s absence) and a subsequent increase in the youngster’s production.
According to Kawakami, this changing of the guard could be a precursor to Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. having to choose between the two players as he develops his long-term roster plans.
Will it be Wiggins, Kuminga or both?
Both players are licensed, but Kuminga is a younger, cheaper option
Unlike Wiggins, Kuminga is having the best season of his career as a third year. He’s currently on an 11-game streak with 10 or more points to his name and his 1.8 net rating erases the minus-6.5 mark that the former posted in 2023-24.
So, with both players being primarily drivers and defenders – as well as having minimal positional overlap – a big decision could be looming for the team’s front office. By Kawakami:
“The Warriors have a contract situation coming up with Kuminga, and that’s just the financial aspect. Packing two talented forwards into a 48-minute slot won’t produce the best results for either of them, as the Warriors already have too many. players need to fit into a 10-man rotation and because the February 8 trade deadline is where some of the big things will need to be decided.
Big ripple effect #1: If they can’t play together, the Warriors will almost certainly have to go with Wiggins or Kuminga for the long term. »
Jonathan Kuminga – Séparés 2023-24
Entrée
Banc
Points
14.6
11.5
Rebounds
5.1
3.3
% of actual shooting
64,9
53,8
So far, the duo hasn’t shown much ability to share the frontcourt; The Dubs have been outscored by 23.2 points per 100 possessions when Wiggins and Kuminga have been on the court together this season, making them the worst two-player combination on the team, with a minimum of 100 minutes shared.
Related Assessing Draymond Green’s Place on the Golden State Warriors
The Warriors played well without the former Defensive Player of the Year.
2024-01-01 09:16:24
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