Can Andrew Wiggins Make Another Jump?
Andrew Wiggins is the success story nobody thought would happen. After being widely-considered one of the NBA’s biggest busts as the former #1 overall pick, a lot of people had given up hope on “Maple Jordan” and his potential. He struggled early with efficiency and effort, even while showing flashes of potential. His contract was, and to many still is, considered an albatross.
That, of course, didn’t stop the Warriors. After acquiring D’angelo Russell, the team dealt him to Minnesota for Wiggins and the pick that turned into Jonathan Kuminga. The asset was really the pick, a top-3 protected which landed at #7 so it conveyed into the 2021 Draft: Wiggins was a salary-cap move that the Warriors hoped they could shift into more assets later on. As it turns out Wiggins made himself into the asset with drastic improvements in the Warriors locker room. He was quickly ingratiated into the culture in Golden State, something which amped up his defensive attention and turned him into a positive offensive force.
In his first season with the Warriors, Wiggins saw his effective field goal percentage jump a whole 6 points (44% to 50%), and he showed some marked defensive improvements in the last few games after joining the team. The next season, his first full one with the Dubs, it jumped another 4%, including a drastic jump in 3-point percentage (33% to 38%), in addition to improvements in his defensive win shares from 1.1 to 2.7. Wiggins was widely considered a snub from the All-Defensive teams during the last season. His improvements were under the radar amidst the buzz from James Wiseman NBA debut and Steph Curry’s return to MVP form, but he was an important piece to the Warriors overachieving last year.
Long-term, Wiggins is a solid fit with the team, filling in as a flexible 2, 3 and small-ball 4 when the lineups require it. He’s a mobile wing who, with some improved game IQ, can create his own shot effectively and playmake on both ends. He’s also only 25 years old, and unless they get a much better deal, the Warriors should be interested in keeping him around for awhile. His position isn’t much of an issue as he’s most comfortable as a small forward, whereas Kuminga figures to best at the power forward position and Moody playing up at shooting guard. The Warriors can run positionless lineups down the road if they elect to keep him, and his tremendous upside may make it worth it.