NBA Trade Rumors: Making a case for and against the Golden State Warriors trading Andrew Wiggins in the 2021 NBA offseason
The Golden State Warriors have been an active part of the NBA trade rumors mill lately, as the franchise prepares itself for the 2021-22 season. The front office is looking to build a contending team once again, with the aim of surrounding star point guard Stephen Curry and his partner-in-crime Klay Thompson with top talent.
To indulge in any high-profile trade, the Golden State Warriors will need assets, and Andrew Wiggins is one of the few valuable players on the roster who the management could deem expendable.
In this article, we will make a case for and against the Golden State Warriors parting ways with Andrew Wiggins in the 2021 NBA offseason.
NBA Trade Rumors: Are the Golden State Warriors better off trading Andrew Wiggins this summer
Andrew Wiggins was drafted No.1 overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2014 NBA Draft, and was then moved to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Kevin Love trade. Wiggins showed flashes of talent with the Wolves, but his inconsistency and inability to improve his overall game meant he was considered a bust.
However, since being traded to the Golden State Warriors, Wiggins has become a solid starter on a fringe playoff-level team. Steve Kerr has managed to get the best out of the Canadian international. He has allowed Wiggins to play his natural game in the paint, while hiding his weaknesses on offense.
Andrew Wiggins has always been a great athlete, and Kerr has managed to make him a lockdown defender on the perimeter.
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He averaged 18 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists during the course of the 2020-21 NBA season, along with a steal and a block. Andrew Wiggins also shot a career-best 38% from downtown with the Golden State Warriors, establishing himself as the second option, behind Stephen Curry, on the roster.
On the other hand, Andrew Wiggins is one of the top earners in the Golden State Warriors team. He is set to make $65 million over the next two seasons, which is frankly going to prove to be too expensive for the Golden State Warriors.
Wiggins' production doesn't warrant such an extravagant contract, and they will be better off parting ways in the summer. It would be relatively easy to offload Andrew Wiggins, considering the rise in his stock since his move to the Golden State Warriors.
Recent NBA trade rumors indicate that the Golden State Warriors are planning to land a superstar like they did in 2017 with Kevin Durant. Damian Lillard is one of the names that has come up, and to land a player of his quality, the Warriors will likely have to compensate the Blazers with a package attached to Andrew Wiggins.
The former No.1 overall pick is a talented player, but the Golden State Warriors will benefit more from trading him away in the 2021 NBA offseason.
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