Warriors' blockbuster trade puts Wiggins, Kuminga in the spotlight

Warriors' blockbuster trade puts spotlight on Wiggins, Kuminga

Assuming the core of the roster stays intact over the next 19 days, the Warriors will open training camp with only two players, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, assured of being starters.

We know what Curry has done and still can do. We know what Green has done, most of which he still can do – when available.

What neither we nor the Warriors know is what they will get from Andrew Wiggins, who has a 99 percent chance of starting. The same applies to Jonathan Kuminga, who would seem to have at least an 80 percent chance to start.

If Curry and Green are available and playing at their customary level, any reasonable chance of the Warriors getting back to the 50-win mark for only the second time since 2019 is dependent on either Wiggins and Kuminga – perhaps both – performing at or near All-Star level.

Too much to ask? Maybe. But it shouldn’t be.

Wiggins has been an All-Star, being voted in by fans as a Western Conference starter in 2022. He responded by reaching his peak a few months later, becoming a driving force as the Warriors rolled through an impressive postseason that concluded with an NBA Finals victory over the Boston Celtics.

Wiggins during those playoffs gave Golden State marvelous defense while averaging 16.5 points, on 46.9-percent shooting, and 7.5 rebounds. It was a sterling 22-game stretch as the No. 1 overall pick of the 2014 draft stayed focused and shed much of his reputation as a chronic underachiever.

In the two seasons since, Wiggins has regained most of that reputation. His production has dipped and, more detrimental to the Warriors, he has missed 56 games, mostly for family reasons.

Golden State coach Steve Kerr has stated on numerous occasions that the shooting guard/small forward positions of Klay Thompson and Wiggins are interchangeable. They’re of similar size, with Wiggins the better athlete. Klay is the more natural shooter, Wiggins more of a slasher. Thompson’s departure to Dallas opens a door for Wiggins to walk through.

Wiggins, 29, knows he’s not the five-time All-Star that Klay is but realizes he’ll have an expanded offensive role. His generally placid demeanor obscures a competitive nature that runs hotter than most think. Wiggins likely will embrace a new challenge. Might even need it.

If the absences continue, though, Wiggins won’t be much help to the Warriors and surely will miss the festivities when All-Star Weekend returns to the Bay Area in February.

Which brings us to Kuminga. He craves All-Star status and the perks that come with it. The 21-year-old forward has big dreams for his career, for his family, for his homeland in Africa. Being an NBA All-Star would be a massive step toward bringing those grand hopes to life.

Kuminga, 21, is eligible for a contract extension and reportedly wants the maximum, about $225 million. Golden State wants to keep him but is unwilling to go that high. Can’t blame them. Unlike fellow 2021 first-round picks extended this summer – Scottie Barnes, Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley, Franz Wagner – JK has not yet been identified as a likely franchise player.

The Warriors, as is their right, want to see Kuminga continue the upward trajectory of last season. He was terrific in the second half, averaging almost 20 points and shooting about 55 percent from the field. His Year 3 “leap” on offense that met the eye test and was validated by metrics.

Though the front office is expected to let the Oct. 21 deadline pass without an extension, there is belief that Kuminga can make another leap. That he can add a three or four percentage points to his 34.1 percent 3-point shooting and that he can become a better passer and rebounder.

That Kuminga can join the multidimensional threats that populate the elite levels of NBA wings.

Such a development would create the most ideal situation for the Warriors. A lineup featuring Curry and Wiggins in the backcourt, with Trayce Jackson-Davis joining Green and Kuminga up front has tremendous defensive potential and can create plenty of scoring opportunities.

“We need (Kuminga) to play the 3 if we want to have Trayce out there at the 5 and Draymond, that ideally would be a great defensive lineup, athletically and (with) length,” Kerr said after last season. “But we're not ready for that yet as a team. So those are the areas that would really be helpful for JK.

“We're going to work with him on that stuff all summer.”

Summer ends next week. The trade window has not closed, but it gets smaller each day. Both Wiggins and Kuminga are said to have had a productive offseason, but that’s typical August chatter.

If they approach peak levels and the Warriors stay relatively healthy, they should have enough talent to secure a top-six spot in the Western Conference.

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