Tim Kawakami claims that the Golden State Warriors would now be open to investigating Andrew Wiggins’ trade market, which is a change from previously stated objectives. Since he signed his relatively cheap contract in October of last year, the organization has previously shown little interest in moving the former All-Star.
Even still, there’s a significant gap between this rumor and a real Wiggins trade, so the Warriors’ willingness to entertain the idea is notable. Wiggins was an All-Star starter and a Finals hero during the 2022 team’s championship run less than two years ago. What has altered, then?
First and foremost, Wiggins hasn’t performed as well as he did during the 2021–2022 season. Due to an undisclosed personal situation, he missed a significant portion of the previous season. This season, he has been so disappointing that Jonathan Kuminga benched him.
Wiggins is averaging 12.6 points and 4.4 rebounds through 27 games while shooting 29.9% from three-point range and 42.6% from the field. These are his lowest career figures for scoring and 3-point shooting. He hasn’t pulled down as few rebounds since his third-season campaign in the league in 2017. Based on his prior success, his four-year, $109 million agreement appeared like a good deal, but it’s too much to pay for a bench player. Whether Wiggins is assigned to that position going forward has still to be determined, but if so, it would be prudent to look into trade possibilities.
In the meantime, Kuminga is having some of his finest basketball of the season and shares nearly Wiggins’ physical attributes and skill set. The Warriors may have to decide because the two haven’t demonstrated an ability to play together thus far. The Warriors might see the younger Kuminga as their best choice going forward if he can provide you with a large portion of Wiggins’ productivity at a lower cost. Kuminga is eligible for a rookie extension next year. Wiggins would become even more disposable in this way.
The Warriors’ standings at the trade deadline on February 8 will also play a role in their decision-making. They are now 11th in the Western Conference with a record of 15-16, meaning they are not even eligible for the Play-In Tournament. But, they are only 2.5 games behind sixth place, so by then, they might very well be in the top six. 
Up until then, it’s important to revisit general manager Mike Dunleavy’s remarks on the roster following Draymond Green’s indefinite ban.
On December 14, Dunleavy stated, “I think the bigger impact will be how we do the next 15, 20 games.” “Where we go will probably depend on it. .. I don’t believe I need to assess Draymond’s skill level any further. We still need to assess this team’s chemistry, lineups, and other aspects.
“I believe we’re correct there, but eventually our record will need to adjust. It will take some time for us to start winning some games and sneak past.500. And we’ll need to reassess if not.”