Andrew Wiggins Immersion visualization on Luka Donči He was perhaps the biggest speaker on Monday morning as sports critics summed up the show The Warriors beat the Dallas Mavericks 109-100 In the third game of the Western Conference Finals.
But Warriors coach Steve Kerr had the bigger picture in mind when he spoke to reporters Monday in Dallas.
Dubbed the button that pressed “resume” on the Gulf ruling family after successive injury-ridden seasons, Wiggins have missed the playoffs since the team’s last appearance in the NBA Finals in 2019.
“I think the Wiggins business is the key to all of this,” Kerr said of Golden State’s success. “I’ve probably said it a few times, but we’ve lost a lot of wing defenders after [2018-19] season. Andre [Iguodala]Shawn Livingston, Kevin [Durant]Clay [Thompson] with injury. Our entire wing core was eliminated defensively.”
Livingston retired after the Warriors lost six games to the Toronto Raptors in the 2019 NBA Finals. Durant signed with the Brooklyn Nets on free agency, leaving Iguodala for two seasons in South Beach with the Miami Heat. Thompson worked his way back from a ruptured ACL in his left knee before he ruptured his right Achilles tendon the following year.
In the 2019-20 trading deadline, the Warriors addressed their need on the wing by sending goalkeeper D’Angelo Russell and a pair of bench players, Jacob Evans and Omari Spellman, to Minnesota Timberwolves In exchange for Wiggins and two picks In the 2021 NBA Draft.
“The Wiggins trade allowed us to start rebuilding the wing’s defence,” Kerr said. “Wiggs has been very good, he’s improved a lot over the past two years. He’s a perfect fit alongside our guys.”
At the time of the trade, Wiggins was in the second season of a five-year maximum contract extension with the Timberwolves. Wiggins’ talent on the field was undisputed – he was named the 2014-15 NBA New Player of the Year and averaged 19.7 points per game over six seasons in Minnesota.
But doubts remained about Wiggins’ efforts in defense and passion for the game. It was seen as overpaid because Wolves’ commitment to Wiggins did not lead to victories. Minnesota State had only one winning season and one playoff appearance during Wiggins’ tenure, and both were credited with getting Jimmy Butler to Minneapolis.
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Wiggins found his sweet spot in his second full season in the bay. With only five previous playoffs under his belt prior to the Warriors’ current tour, Wiggins has been an influence in nearly every playoff game. His defensive efforts against Dončić in the conference finals were praised as much as he was.
“I don’t know where we would be without him defensively thanks to his work at Luca and every other big winger we have to face,” Kerr said. “It was fantastic. I think this move was kind of a major step that Bob and the front office took to get us back on the roster of players ready for the qualifiers.”
And Wiggins’ playoff isn’t over yet.