Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Golden State Warriors. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
What’s on the NBA rumors agenda today? A Kyrie Irving-Lakers pitch, Andrew Wiggins’ highly anticipated return, and some spicy Zion Williamson drama.
Tell a friend, Andrew Wiggins is back. He just might not be a starter in Game 1 of the Golden State Warriors–Sacramento Kings first-round playoff series.
The Warriors star hasn’t played since February 13 due to a family-related absence, but Wiggins returned to the Bay Area at the end of March and appears ready to rejoin the team at the perfect time.
The looming question is, will he be part of the starting five or take a seat on the bench?
NBA Rumors: Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins to follow in Steph Curry’s footsteps
Wiggins himself spoke a bit about his status ahead of Saturday’s game and said he’s just going to “wait and see.”
“I’ve got to wait and see. But I would get it if (Steve Kerr) said he wants me to come off the bench. I wasn’t here for a long time, so I would understand. You can’t say anything about that,” Wiggins told NBC Sports.
The star forward also made a funny quip about how Steph came off the bench last year so….”What? Steph can do it, but I can’t?”
Wiggins got jokes.
In all seriousness, Wiggins is following a similar path to the playoffs as Steph Curry did last season, when Curry suffered a sprained ligament in his foot and sat out for four weeks. Curry wasn’t cleared to play until one day before Game 1 of the Warriors’ first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets; he didn’t retake his starting spot until Game 5.
Wiggins has missed roughly twice as much time as Curry, though, and he has yet to be medically cleared.
His absence was non-injury related, unlike Curry, so he does hypothetically have a higher chance of rejoining the starting lineup sooner rather than later. It’ll be up to Steve Kerr and the Warriors coaches at tipoff.