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Andrew Wiggins will get a fresh start with Golden State Warriors

By Nathan Beighle

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 25: Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Golden State Warriors looks on in the first half against the Sacramento Kings at Chase Center on February 25, 2020 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 25: Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Golden State Warriors looks on in the first half against the Sacramento Kings at Chase Center on February 25, 2020 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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The Golden State Warriors will, in all likelihood, be Andrew Wiggins’ home next season. That’ll let the former No. 1 overall pick get a fresh start.

A superstar at Kansas, Andrew Wiggins has every tool an NBA team craved coming out of college. In a draft that the Warriors didn’t even have a pick, their starting small forward for the 2020-2021 season went No. 1 overall.

He was taken by the Cleveland Cavaliers and immediately traded in a package that sent Kevin Love to team up with LeBron James in “The Land.” Wiggins started off his career with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Wiggins was named Rooke of the Year his first season in the league, but that didn’t translate to success up north. The team drafted Karl-Anthony Towns No. 1 overall in the next draft, and the duo would remain in Minneapolis till this past trade deadline.

Towns was clearly the future of their franchise, so the Wolves seemingly knew they needed to deal Wiggins after their stint with Jimmy Butler resulted in a first-round exit.

Wiggins is on a massive contract that will pay him over $30 million for the 2021-2022 season and the one after. It was a tough one for Minnesota to move, costing them a protected first-round pick in a stacked 2021 draft class as well.

They brought in Towns’ friend and former All-Star guard D’Angelo Russell. For Wiggins, this should be a revenge tour as he’ll be in a new place, with a new role. Wiggins will be asked to do more of what Harrison Barnes did for the 2014-2015 roster.

Instead of being a primary scorer like he was asked to do for the bulk of his career, Wiggins will be able to sit back and focus on shooting and defending, not necessarily creating opportunities for himself and his teammates.

Wiggins has improved his three-point shooting each of his six seasons in the NBA, now averaging 2.1 threes per game on over 33% from the field.

While it’s not incredible, if Wiggins can defend bigger small forwards and shoot at a marginally better clip, he’ll be the exact chip Golden State wanted to bring in to support Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

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Wiggins had started to be cast aside in Minnesota, and now he’ll have a spot at the limelight. He’ll just have to find his role within the organization and play it to the best of his ability.

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