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If Wiggins can adapt to new role, he’ll be Warriors long-term solution

By Nathan Beighle

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 08: Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Golden State Warriors warms up prior to the start of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Chase Center on February 08, 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 Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 08: Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Golden State Warriors warms up prior to the start of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Chase Center on February 08, 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 Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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The Golden State Warriors brought in forward Andrew Wiggins, and for the first time in his career, he won’t be asked to be a superstar.

Andrew Wiggins came into the NBA with ultra-high expectations. The Timberwolves were so confident he’d be a star they traded an MVP candidate for him. The former No. 1 pick is now on the Golden State Warriors.

The Warriors have won three titles in the last six years. They defeated LeBron James’ Cavaliers all three times with two of those titles coming with Kevin Durant on the roster. There’s no Kevin Durant this time around.

But, with Wiggins, the Warriors are building a team eerily similar to the one that was the NBA championship in 2015. It was one in which Harrison Barnes started while Andre Iguodala came off the bench.

The Warriors played an elite small-ball lineup, but the roster compilation is the interesting part. They needed Barnes to guard opposing stars and be able to space the court. He did just that, and it was enough to get him a big-time contract.

Now, the Warriors are back to a team that doesn’t have a third bonafide star. Draymond Green is a former Defensive Player of the Year, but he hasn’t been at his standard for quite some time. Along those lines, no one quite knows if Klay Thompson will be the same player he was.

But, if Wiggins can fill that role, the Warriors offensive can resort back to what it once was. The only thing that they’d be missing is several Kevin Durant isolation possessions a game. Durant was more than just a shooter with the Warriors, but they didn’t necessarily need him to be.

The season the Warriors won the title with Barnes, he shot over 40 percent from deep for the first time in his career. Wiggins hasn’t shown he can do that, but if he can, he may be the long-term solution Golden State is ultimately hoping he can be.

His time in the Bay Area will be judged off far more than just that, but if Wiggins can’t space the floor efficiently, that will just put more pressure on the rest of the team’s elite shooters.

The 6-foot-7 Wiggins has shot around 33 percent from deep the last three seasons in the league. Barnes has shot just 34.7 percent the season before he exploded from deep and the Warriors won the title.

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If Wiggins can do what Barnes did for Golden State, the trade to bring him in as the piece that can help both elevate Golden State to title contention and help usher in the next wave of stars in the Bay Area would be all worth it.

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