Andrew Wiggins was defiant, if not logical, in laying out why he has not, and does not plan to get, the COVID-19 vaccine.
Because Wiggins cannot play in home games or practice with the team when the Warriors are at Chase Center due to a San Francisco mandate requiring people to be vaccinated for most things indoors, Warriors coach Steve Kerr gets asked about Wiggins’ status daily. Every day he has to toe the company line, and he did that again on Saturday, adding the Warriors expect Wiggins will be available.
Kerr said Wiggins was “under the weather” and did not practice today.
— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) October 2, 2021
No update regarding vax status — Kerr reiterates “we anticipate he’ll be available.”
That’s what Kerr has to say, regardless of what he might be thinking.
The NBA announced that players who miss games because they do not comply with local mandates will miss game checks for those contests. For Wiggins, that would mean more than $350,000 a game he could miss. When asked about that on media day by reporters, Wiggins’ response was essentially, “that’s my money, not yours, don’t worry about it.”
Not having Wiggins on the court as a starting wing will set the Warriors back to start the season, especially with Klay Thompson out until likely around Christmas. More than pay, or health, or doing what is right to keep people around him safe, it may be peer pressure from his frustrated teammates that pushes Wiggins to get the vaccine. If he ever does.