Andrew Wiggins' name has been bandied about in trade rumors since the moment he was sent to the Warriors in February 2020. The former No. 1 overall draft pick has played 83 games in a Warriors uniform, averaging 18.7 points and 4.8 rebounds over 33.3 minutes per game.
Where he fits into the Warriors' long-term plans remains to be seen. The organization publicly has backed Wiggins, but as ESPN basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla explained to NBC Sports Bay Area's Grant Liffmann and Kendra Andrews, expectations should be tempered with the 26-year-old.
"I still think he's probably not ever going to be a star, but if you want a guy that can get you 18 points a game and help you win games, kind of like Harrison Barnes did on that first championship team, that's what you've got with Andrew Wiggins," Fraschilla said on Dubs Talk.
The comparison to Barnes is an interesting one. After being drafted seventh overall by the Warriors in 2012, Barnes averaged 10.1 points and 4.6 rebounds over 28.1 minutes per game. Following the Warriors' loss in the 2016 NBA Finals, Kevin Durant joined the organization that summer, leading Barnes to take his talents to the Dallas Mavericks in free agency.
One major difference between the two, however, is their contracts during their time with the Warriors. Barnes was on his rookie deal, while Wiggins is set to make $31.5 million in 2021-22, and $33.6 million in 2022-23.
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That massive dollar figure makes a potential trade including Wiggins complicated.Â
"Two-Way Wiggs," as he became known around the Warriors' locker room, put together an impressive first full season with the organization. Not only did he score nearly 19 points per game, but Wiggins consistently handled defensive assignments against the NBA's top wings, and held his own.
There might need to be some draft picks included as well if the Warriors try and send Wiggins to another team for a star, especially if it is a younger star with a somewhat favorable contract.
Wiggins has played well enough to warrant some trade interest around the league, but with such a massive contract and lack of top-end star power, a blockbuster deal built around him would require a lot of maneuvering from the Warriors' front office.