Andrew Wiggins of the Golden State Warriors has had a strange NBA career. At one time, people were calling him Maple Jordan. Wiggins was a highly anticipated NBA prospect, and in the end, he’d be selected with the first overall pick in the draft.
Has he lived up to the expectations that come with being drafted first? That depends on who you ask. It took Wiggins some time to find his niche in the NBA. A couple of years ago, he did it – Wiggins was a vital cog in a championship run for the Warriors.
This year? Wiggins’ play has dramatically declined. The Warriors have suffered as a result. Now, it’s heavily rumored that the Warriors would be interested in moving Wiggins. Here are three teams that we think could take a look at him.
Toronto Raptors
Wiggins is Canadian – hence the Maple Jordan nickname. Meanwhile, the NBA’s only Canadian franchise has shown an interest in acquiring countrymen recently. The Raptors just made a move for RJ Barrett.
Granted, they won’t acquire Wiggins strictly because he’s from town. In all likelihood, Wiggins would be coming to Toronto as a result of a bigger trade. If the Warriors make a run for Pascal Siakam, Wiggins would likely be involved in the deal for financial reasons.
Provided that the Warriors want to acquire Siakam, that is. In all likelihood, that would involve sending Jonathan Kuminga to the Raptors as well. If Golden State isn’t interested in that type of move, they may need to seek another suitor for Wiggins.
Dallas Mavericks
The Raptors may be acquiring Wiggins incidentally. By contrast, the Mavericks would be interested in acquiring him as a player. Given how he’s performed in 2023-24, is that a wise decision?
It’s difficult to say. With that said, Wiggins won’t be expensive. The Mavericks may be able to acquire him at the cost of a couple of contracts and some second-round picks. If Dallas acquires Wiggins, they’ll be looking for a buy-low opportunity.
After all, they could use a 3-and-D wing. That’s who Wiggins was just a couple of years ago. With that said, if Dallas doesn’t have any faith in Wiggins to turn that corner, the Warriors may have to look elsewhere once again.
Chicago Bulls
If the Bulls are interested in Wiggins, their interest would be more like the Raptors’ interest. They wouldn’t necessarily be interested in Wiggins. They’d be absorbing his contract to land some assets alongside him.
With that said, it doesn’t feel like the Bulls want to stay down for long. They may opt for a soft reset rather than a long-term rebuilding process. If Wiggins can get back to his prior form, he could help them accomplish those goals.
Either way, his contract makes him a convenient trade chip if the Warriors want to deal with Chicago. If they’re interested in either Nikola Vucevic or DeMar DeRozan, Wiggins could be involved in one of those deals. Who knows where his career will take him next?
