Six years ago when Andrew Wiggins first came into the NBA (which somehow feels like it was decades ago now), we all thought he was the next GUY.
You know, the next LeBron James or Kobe Bryant or whoever. He was supposed to be that. I mean, he hadn’t even been drafted yet and we were wondering if it was too big a risk for the Cavaliers to trade him for Kevin freaking Love, for crying out loud.
The way things turned out? The Cavaliers were absolutely right. The Cavs won a championship with Love as one of LeBron James’ wingmen and Wiggins has pretty much floundered for six straight years in obscurity in basketball purgatory — also known as Minnesota.
Wiggins had all the potential in the world but never actualized it. He hasn’t quite his a ceiling in Minnesota as much as he’s run into a wall that he can’t get passed.
The Warriors are hoping they’ll be able to get him to break through.
The Warriors at least have something to work with
Look, Wiggins hasn’t been good for most of his career. But he got off to a fantastic start this season with the Wolves.
He’s played in 42 games this season. The first 21 games? Things were great. Wiggins averaged 25 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game on 46% shooting from the field and 33% from deep. He looked like a legit All-Star.
The next 21? Pfft. He’s stunk up the joint at 19.9 points per game, 5.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists on 42.4% shooting.
The Warriors are not only hoping to get the guy from the first couple of games, they’re hoping to improve on that guy and make him a legitimate staple in their rotation.
There are games where he’ll do things that will have you constantly banging your head into wall like Squidward. Like, bruh, WATER YOU DOING!?
But then, literally in the same game, he looks like a legit superstar and does outlandish things like this. And you have no idea which Wiggins is the real Wiggins — trust me, I know. I’ve had my cape on for years now.
That, ladies and gentlemen, is the Andrew Wiggins experience. And exactly why, after six years of riding the roller coaster, the Wolves are willing to finally move on.
Can the Warriors bring out his best?
That remains to be seen. Maybe all he needs is to play in a structured system like theres? That could be possible.
When he’s left to make his own decisions, he struggles. Putting him into a system where decisions are baked in might help. But he’s never been a good playmaker and plus the Warriors system is actually kiiinda complicated.
His biggest assets are his athleticism and length— the Warriors can channel that defensively. But there have also always been questions about his motor, so literally who knows? I can tell you who doesn’t — it’s me.
This is a big gamble the Warriors are taking and they’re paying him a lot of money to do it. Draft picks aside, they’d better hope it’s worth it.
[jwplayer cSl9FF6v-q2aasYxh]