Warriors coach gives important Andrew Wiggins update as fans await his NBA comeback
Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins has been out indefinitely since Feb. 13 due to personal reasons. It was previously reported that Wiggins may not return this season.
Before the Warriors’ 120-109 win over New Orleans on Tuesday, Warriors coach Steve Kerr provided an additional update on Wiggins’ situation. Kerr explained that there is still no timetable for his return. However, he added that Wiggins has been working out regularly to keep up with his conditioning.
“He’s been working out every day,” Kerr said.
“Beyond that, once he’s back, then our training staff will be able to get with him and see where he is. But he’s been training on his own.”
When asked if Wiggins should still be labeled out indefinitely, Kerr concurred that the label is still appropriate:
“There’s hope, but I guess indefinite is also appropriate.”
Steve Kerr says Andrew Wiggins has been training on his own, but there's still no timetable for his return https://t.co/oHo6tuOLNN
Golden State (40-37) sits sixth in the Western Conference with five games remaining. Those five games will be crucial as they are just half a game ahead of the seventh-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves (39-37). Dropping to seventh would put Kerr's men into the play-in tournament.
In addition, the Warriors are just two and a half games ahead of the 11th-placed Dallas Mavericks (37-39). So there is still an outside chance that they could miss the playoffs entirely.
It remains to be seen if Wiggins will return for any of Golden State’s remaining five games or during their potential playoff run.
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How have the Warriors fared without Andrew Wiggins this season?
Overall, Andrew Wiggins has missed a total of 40 games this season. In addition to missing time for personal reasons, Wiggins also sat out due to left foot soreness, a strained right adductor and a non-COVID illness.
The Warriors have remained competitive without Wiggins. The team has gone 21-19 without him and 19-18 with him. However, most would agree that their chances of defending their title hinge on his potential return. He played a key role as Golden State’s top two-way wing during their 2022 NBA title run.
Wiggins has averaged 17.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.8 blocks and 2.4 3-pointers per game on 47.3% shooting through 37 games this season.
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