After earning his first All-Star selection and being the second-best player on a championship team in 2022, the following two seasons haven't gone according to plan for Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins.
The Canadian has dealt with issues both on and off the court, having most recently lost his father Mitchell earlier this month. Given the trauma Wiggins would have faced recently, it would have been understandable if the Warriors were trying to soften expectations on the 29-year-old, at least to start the season.
Instead, head coach Steve Kerr has been comfortable to do the opposite, speaking glowingly of Wiggins and his physical shape ahead of the start of training camp in Hawaii next week.
Steve Kerr is happy to set lofty expectation on Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins following a career-worst season
Golden State desperately need a bounce-back season from Wiggins should they wish to return to the playoffs, and Kerr has no issues with anticipating that the former first overall pick will return to his best.
"He's in a place where he knows the last couple of years have been tough for a lot of reasons. I think he's primed to get back to where he was a couple of years ago," Kerr said. "I'm expecting a big year from Wiggs."
Kerr also spoke about the departure of Klay Thompson and outlined how Wiggins will be featured heavily in trying to replace the scoring once provided by the veteran sharpshooter. It's interesting that Kerr labelled Wiggins a "20-point a night guy" when in fact he's never averaged that during his tenure with the Warriors.
The 6'7" forward averaged 18.6 points in his first full season with the franchise in 2020-21, then averaged 17.2 points (fourth in the team in scoring) during his All-Star year. Admittedly, Wiggins' role with Golden State shifted significantly from his time in Minnesota, transitioning from "go-to guy" offensively, to a more efficient off-ball player who took a large defensive responsibility.
It sounds like the Warriors may be leaning back into the Timberwolves version of Wiggins a little more, which in itself is a risk given that it never led to much in the way of team success. But if Wiggins can get back to averaging 20+ points while remaining efficient and Golden State's primary perimeter defender, then all of a sudden we'll be talking about him and the team in a far different, more positive light.
The 20-point mark gives fans a specific and measurable expectation in which to evaluate Wiggins' season as it progresses. He showcased his still talented offensive skillset with a dozen games of at least 20 points last season, but otherwise averaged a career-low 13.2 points on 45.3% shooting from the floor and 35.8% from three-point range.
