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Golden State Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins must do his best not to regress

By Nathan Beighle

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 25: Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Golden State Warriors looks on in the first half against the Sacramento Kings at Chase Center on February 25, 2020 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 25: Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Golden State Warriors looks on in the first half against the Sacramento Kings at Chase Center on February 25, 2020 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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After much discussion regarding small forward Andrew Wiggins‘ vaccination status, his name has been oftentimes left out of conversations regarding the team as Jordan Poole and Stephen Curry have been the two preseason leaders.

However, the Golden State Warriors will need Wiggins to play at the level he was at a season ago. While having him on the court is a great start, if he can’t keep up his shooting, it could spell a tough season for the former No. 1 overall pick.

Andrew Wiggins shot the ball at career-high levels last season, and the Golden State Warriors need him to sustain that excellent play.

If you didn’t know, you’ll be thankful to find out the Warriors will have Wiggins for all 41 games at the Chase Center, unless he’s injured or out for some unforeseeable reason. Wiggins is expected to have a huge role in the Warriors’ success.

After being traded to Golden State prior to the 2020 deadline, Wiggins immediately stepped into the starting three role. That initial season, he struggled to get going, but sharing the court with Stephen Curry can help just about anyone.

The spacing that Curry freed up helped Wiggins get easier looks. The pressure was finally off his shoulders. Wiggins thrived with the Warriors last season, shooting a career-high 38 percent from deep and 48 percent from the field.

With the stepping up of Jordan Poole as a primary playmaker, the Warriors could use Poole-Curry-Thompson-Wiggins-Green lineups to compete against some of the best five-man units in the NBA. That’s the lineup that must compete, and Wiggins’ involvement could make or break it.

Wiggins shot almost 35 percent of his attempts from three and drastically limited his mid-range shooting. He came around to the Warriors style of play, and continuing the trend will be the must for the forward who will be entering his eighth season in the league.

Coming out of college, Wiggins’ ability to create paired with his athleticism gave scouts sky-high expectations. With Minnesota, he never truly was about to be that efficient, playmaking option. He’s settling into a role quintessential for him with the Warriors.

The Warriors were 21-14 when he hit at least 50 percent of his shots. At that pace, they’d push 50 wins. The Warriors were 39-33 last season. If they can get that efficient production from Wiggins again they should be able to avoid the play-in tournament.

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The bottom line is this team needs Wiggins to perform well. There’s no reason to think he’ll regress, but it may ultimately cost the Warriors their season if he does.

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