NBA Insider Jake Fischer reported this week that "Miami is indeed willing to part with Andrew Wiggins (and his $28.2 million salary) in the proverbial right deal." This means that the Golden State Warriors have an ideal opportunity to finally trade Jonathan Kuminga and move forward by bringing back a key member of the 2022 championship team.
It's not exactly a secret that Wiggins is missed in the Bay Area right about now. He's been playing fantastically with the Heat this season, putting up numbers and being the kind of guy willing to sacrifice for the good of the team as well. He's been one of the big reasons Miami has had such a strong performance to begin the year, and that leaves the Warriors and other teams scrambling to see if they might be able to acquire his services.
But for Golden State, this is about more than just going out and trying to get a solid contributor while he's playing his best basketball. It's personal. Wiggins was one of the best players on the Warriors' 2021-22 title team, and in the playoffs he was their second-best player after Stephen Curry.
The Warriors need to go after Andrew Wiggins
This team has been aching to try to resolve the Jonathan Kuminga situation, and many feel it's an inevitability at this point that Golden State will trade him. It seems as though both sides of this relationship would benefit from Kuminga getting a change of scenery. So if that's going to end up becoming the Warriors' reality, why not try to get back Wiggins in the process?
A reunion would make sense for both sides because Wiggins already understands the culture, the expectations, and the style of basketball Golden State wants to play. He fit seamlessly as a versatile defender and a low-maintenance scorer in Steve Kerr's system. That’s exactly the archetype the Warriors have been missing this year.
Golden State has struggled to find dependable two-way wing impact, and the ripple effect has shown up in various places. Bringing back someone who already proved he can thrive next to Curry is the kind of stabilizing move that could save the second half of their season.
And if Miami is truly willing to listen on Wiggins, Golden State shouldn’t overthink this. Kuminga might still have upside, but the Warriors need talent to help them win here and now, and Wiggins has already shown he can be that guy on the biggest stage. Fans might have grown tired of Wiggins toward the end of his tenure in San Francisco, but time has a way of reminding us that the grass isn't always greener.