No mega-deal with Warriors puts Wiggins, Kuminga in spotlight originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Assuming the core of the roster remains intact over the next 19 days, the Warriors will open training camp with just two players, Stephen Curry And Draymond Greensure to be up for it.
We know what Curry has done and can still do. We know what Green has done, and can still do, for the most part, when he’s available.
What neither we nor the warriors know is what they will get from Andrew Wigginswho has a 99 percent chance of starting. The same goes for Jonathan Kumingawho appears to have at least an 80 percent chance of being a starter.
If Curry and Green are available and playing at their usual level, any reasonable chance of the Warriors returning to the 50-win mark for just the second time since 2019 hinges on Wiggins and Kuminga — perhaps both — performing at or near All-Star levels.
Is that too much to ask? Maybe. But it shouldn’t be.
Wiggins was an All-Star, voted by fans as the Western Conference starter in 2022. He responded by hitting his stride a few months later, becoming a driving force as the Warriors went through an impressive postseason that culminated in an NBA Finals victory over the Boston Celtics.
Wiggins has given during these playoffs Golden State He played terrific defense while averaging 16.5 points, 46.9 percent shooting and 7.5 rebounds. It was a remarkable 22-game stretch, during which the 2014 No. 1 overall pick stayed focused and shed much of his reputation as a chronic underachiever.
Over the next two seasons, Wiggins regained much of that reputation. His production declined and, even more damaging to the Warriors, he missed 56 games, mostly for family reasons.
Golden State coach Steve Kerr has said on numerous occasions that the guard/wing positions Klay Thompson and Wiggins are interchangeable. They are similar in size, with Wiggins being the better athlete. Klay is the more natural shooter, Wiggins is more of a killer. Thompson’s departure for Dallas opens a door for Wiggins to walk through.
Wiggins, 29, knows he’s not the five-time All-Star that Klay is, but he knows he’ll have a bigger offensive role. His generally placid demeanor belies a more intense competitive nature than most realize. Wiggins will likely embrace a new challenge. He might even need one.
However, if the absences continue, Wiggins won’t be much help to the Warriors and will likely miss the festivities when All-Star weekend returns to the Bay Area in February.
Which brings us to Kuminga. He dreams of 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 home country in Africa. Being an NBA All-Star would be a huge step toward making those big hopes a reality.
Kuminga, 21, is eligible for a contract extension and reportedly wants the max, around $225 million. Golden State wants to keep him but doesn’t want to go that high. Can’t blame them. Unlike other 2021 first-round picks extended this summer – Scottie Barnes, Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley, Franz Wagner – JK has not yet been identified as a probable franchise player.
The warriors, as is their right, want to see Kuminga continues its upward trajectory from last season. He was terrific in the second half of the season, averaging nearly 20 points and shooting about 55 percent from the field. His offensive “jump” in his third year passed the eye test and was validated by the stats.
Even if the team management is expected to let the Oct. 21 deadline pass without an extension, some believe Kuminga can take another step forward. That he can add three or four percentage points to his 34.1 percent three-point shooting and become a better passer and rebounder.
That Kuminga can join the multi-dimensional threats that populate the elite tiers of NBA forwards.
Such a development would create the most ideal situation for the Warriors. A lineup featuring Curry and Wiggins at the back, with Trayce Jackson-Davis Joining Green and Kuminga in attack has huge defensive potential and can create plenty of scoring opportunities.
“We need Kuminga to play the 3 if we’re going to have Trayce at the 5 and Draymond would ideally be a great defensive line, athletically and with length,” Kerr said after last season. “But we’re not ready for that as a team yet. So those are the areas that would really help JK.”
“We’re going to work with him on this all summer.”
Summer ends next week. The trade window isn’t closed, but it’s getting smaller every day. Wiggins and Kuminga both had productive offseasons, but that’s typical August talk.
If they play to their full potential and the Warriors stay relatively healthy, they should have enough talent to secure a top-six spot in the Western Conference.
