While no one is confusing Andrew Wiggins for Kevin Durant, the former No. 1 pick is having a major impact for the Warriors in this year’s playoffs, writes Rohan Nadkarni of SI.com, noting that the trades Golden State made as a result of Durant’s departure in 2019 – first for D’Angelo Russell, then for Wiggins – are paying dividends now.
As John Schuhmann of NBA.com tweets, no player among the four active teams has registered a better on/off differential since the start of the postseason than Wiggins. Golden State has a +13.2 net rating in his 461 postseason minutes, compared to a -9.2 mark in the 211 minutes he hasn’t played.
“I can tell you everybody in the organization is happy he’s here,” Klay Thompson said of Wiggins on Sunday. “Without him we would not be where we’re at.”
Wiggins’ performance in 2021/22 has been worthy of his $31.6MM salary, according to Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic, who wonders if a contract extension could be in the cards this offseason for the 27-year-old forward. Wiggins will be entering the final year of his current deal, and while it remains to be seen if the franchise will make big long-term commitments to both him and Jordan Poole, the team has no plans to move on from Wiggins anytime soon, Thompson writes.
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- Although this year represents the first time since 2019 that the Warriors have made the playoffs, Draymond Green believes it’s more accurate to say that Golden State’s dynasty was on a hiatus due to injuries than to say it ended. “None of these people really removed us from this space,” Green told ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk, as Ramona Shelburne relays. “Toronto beat us, but no one really came and said, ‘All right, the Golden State Warriors’ time is up.'”
- The Warriors appear to be rounding into championship form at the right time, Tim Kawakami writes for The Athletic. “This is probably our best stretch of the season, where we’ve been able to put together lineups and combinations that maybe we weren’t able to get to in the regular season,” head coach Steve Kerr said on Sunday. “And we’ve got a lot of guys playing at a high level right now.”
- Kerr and his coaching staff are delivering a masterpiece of a series in the Western Finals, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, who breaks down film of the Warriors on offense and defense to show how they’re stymieing the Mavs.
- In case you missed it, X-rays on Otto Porter Jr.‘s injured left foot were negative, but it remains unclear whether the veteran forward will have to miss much time due to the injury. He’ll be listed as doubtful for Game 4 on Tuesday, according to Kerr, who said Porter “wasn’t feeling terrible” this morning (Twitter link via Slater).
Warriors could always FLIP their WIGGINS !!
If you are an all star starter and you make it to nba Finals, you are worth $50 million this year
You have the strangest takes
I’d say $56.78 million, to be more precise.
Next season
Warriors 8 players under contract (Poole is under contract)
Luxury tax at $57 million
Add Looney – tax
Add Payton – tax
Warriors can trade Jordan Pool to Kings for 4th pick on June 18 Draft Day
One year later, Kings can match any offer because he is restricted FA.
Why would they want to trade Poole?
Here’s to a quick and complete recovery Otto!
Likewise GPII…
Nick Wright should publicly apologize and resign due to his nonsense, bs take about acquiring Wiggins meant Warriors would never see the finals again. Idiot
Nick Wright is a nobody. Ignore him.
Nick Wrong specifically gets off on dragging the Warriors whenever he can. He’ll go out of his way to make sure everyone knows what a moron he is as long as it means he’s not giving the Warriors any credit. Dude needs to be fired.
Disagree on best stretch for GSW- I thought that was the first half
Hard to get a read tho, their opponents have been pretty weak these playoffs
Denver was impotent, Griz young, dumb and injured , and well Dallas is just a cakewalk if they wanna play GSW from 20 ft and beyond on the offensive side.
Not a bash on GSW I just haven’t felt they have even clicked 100% these playoffs yet and that might be due to the opponents issues I listed above
They havent really gone off, and probably wont fully till next season when Klay has had longer to get back fully, but they have a super versatile roster that they played through pains not chasing wins to prepare it for this, and now they are just out strategizing the opponents. They can find a way with the combination of pieces they have to beat you.
+ Kerr is outplaying the others, no team plays as good as they do now … GSW are gonna win it all unless Steph gets injured
Yesterday was probably the most impactful game Wiggins played in NBA. He was confident, aggressive, and was often the best 2 way player on the floor !! Bravo Wiggins!! You have finally arrived !!!
Wiggins is just underappreciated because of the narrative in his first few seasons, he’s “been there” for about 2 seasons now.
Yes, he has been solid the last 2 yrs including perimeter shooting and defense, but yesterday he was dominating and made a major impact when the team needed him the most. He was unsure of himself in the Denver series… this series could be the major step for Wiggins to reach the upper echelon status.
Glad Wiggins decided to get his shots.
I am still wondering why Luka doesn’t get fined for that acting of getting hit in the face by Wiggins. The NBA should lay a big fine on him for that terrible flop.
No revelations here. As someone that was super hard on Wiggins for justifiable reasons, even though I did say it’s a better fit for them, it’s nice to see them being able to use him as a slightly lesser Harrison Barnes, and he has been able to do the things they needed him to do to fit that role. So all I can say is good for him for finding reasons to care
Their organization and coaching is at the top of the league for a reason, as I said in another recent Bob Meyers article here, they have a deep versatile roster, and unlike other teams, their coaches use it correctly. This is why I picked them to win in the preseason again this year, the same way I picked them the day Lebron went back to Cleveland.
Side note, and I’ve said it many times, but Draymond Green is one of my all time favorite players, and it’s crazy to me how little credit he gets.
OMG ……. WUUUuuuuuuutttttTT
link to twitter.com
The “Canadian Hammer”
This ranks with Dr J dunk on Kareem. Luka stay away from sky walkers in NBA. This ain’t EuroBall ……
link to youtu.be
I know all the Wiggins haters are hiding. Just another example of misplaced hate on this board. I just don’t understand what there is to hate about Balling. Go somewhere else please.
Wiggins has become a better all around player in GS. I have always said that. He has played to fit in. His D is better his shot is better his decision making is better. At 27 he is a better player. AT 27. Real ballers never stop getting better. And just in case you forgot who he is. He reminded us ALL. And used the new NBA poster child .
FOR a POSTER …… thank you
It’s not even just the improvement. It’s the effort
It seems GSW tries consistently to positively motivate Wiggins. I think the former motivation, which was all negative (sky high expectations to live up to his draft and contract), was not effective motivation for him.
Wiggins has looked composed rather than the usual half-absent.
$32m for the fourth-best player?— if the boss will spend anything, why not.
Wiggins is definitely playing far better than Klay. Of course Klay won 3 rings for the Warriors.
“This series, the Warriors are plus-28.9 points per 100 possessions when Wiggins is on the floor. That’s the highest mark on the team. They’re minus-38.7 when he’s off, which is the furthest that needle goes for any Warrior in the other direction”
Which makes sense in this matchup. Who on Dallas that has played, besides Bullock, has any shot at guarding him, and who does he really need to guard, besides being one of many options to put on Luka