The Dallas Mavericks entered Wednesday’s NBA action at 24-17 halfway through the 2023-24 campaign. Remaining in the Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors find themselves at a disappointing 18-22. As the 12th seed, they wouldn’t even be partaking in the NBA Play-In Tournament.
This has led to speculation that Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. will put everyone not named Stephen Curry on the block ahead of the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 8.
So, it shouldn’t comes as too much of a surprise that these two are being included in trade rumors. According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports, the Mavericks are being linked to Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins in league circles.
Dallas was reportedly in on Pascal Siakam before the two-time All-Star forward was traded from the Toronto Raptors to the Indiana Pacers earlier on Wednesday. It’s clear that general manager Nico Harrison and Co. are looking for wings ahead of the deadline.
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Andrew Wiggins as a fit for the Dallas Mavericks ahead of NBA trade deadline
Several reports out of Northern California indicate that Wiggins is the most likely of the Warriors’ core to be dealt before the trade deadline. Golden State has young forward Jonathan Kuminga vying for playing time with the veteran forward. The two have not necessarily been able to coexist on the court.
Per Fischer, the Warriors are not showing any real willingness to move Kuminga. This makes it more likely that Wiggins will be on his way out of town.
As for a potential fit with Dallas, Wiggins’ ability on the defensive end of the court out on the wing to go with offensive-minded guards Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic makes a ton of sense.
At issue here are Wiggins’ struggles this season coupled with a somewhat bloated contract.
- Andrew Wiggins stats (2023-24): 11.9 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 42% shooting, 30% 3-point
Wiggins’ first three full seasons with the Warriors saw him average 17.7 PPG and 4.7 RPG while shooting 47% from the field and 39% from three-point range. He has not been able to duplicate that this season.
Wiggins, 28, is also playing under a four-year, $109 million contract that takes him through the 2025-26 season with a player option for 2026-27. Finances would play a role in any trade talks.
It also must be noted that Golden State simply isn’t going to sell off Wiggins without getting something back in return that would help the team compete moving forward on the season. That also complicates thing.