Shaun Livingston has faith in “misunderstood” Andrew Wiggins

Andrew Wiggins hasn’t been thought of as an elite young talent, yet recently-hired Shaun Livingston still has faith in the “misunderstood” forward.

The Golden State Warriors traded for Andrew Wiggins just days before the 2020 NBA Trade Deadline.

It was a deal that not many were expected as the Warriors shockingly dealt D’Angelo Russell. The fit with Russell was always in question, but the combination of Klay Thompson, Stephen Curry and Russell could’ve produced something special.

They went ahead and shipped him to Minnesota though, bringing in Wiggins and a top-three protected 2021 first-round pick as the major parts of the deal.

Given his max-value contract, Wiggins, who has proven to be a 20-point-per-game scorer, gets trashed often for his shot selection and lack of defensive prowess.

The Warriors have the player development to fix that though, and Livingston, who was recently added as the Director of Player Affairs and Engagement, believes they can help Wiggins, who he said was “misunderstood.” Livingston said that and much more on the “Runnin’ Plays” podcast.

That said, Wiggins was once looked at as the future of the league. He left Kansas and was the No. 1 overall pick. While he didn’t live up to the hype, Wiggins has put together a fairly solid career so far.

He may not crack superstar level anytime soon, but Wiggins could be a perfect fit for Golden State. Last season he proved he was a capable three-point shooter and should be expected to defend larger forwards like Kawhi Leonard and LeBron James.

Wiggins has the shooting, physicality, and talent that Golden State desired. They went for the fit over the high-ceiling Russell, and they haven’t looked back as Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson will hopefully play more than five combined games this coming season.

Their presence will make Wiggins even more lethal as he could finally be a centerpiece of a championship-contending team.