Andrew Wiggins family matters: Warriors GM gives updates on return, reason for not playing
Andrew Wiggins will miss his sixth straight game for the Warriors on Thursday against the Clippers.
The 28-year-old forward, who broke through to become an All-Star starter last season, has not featured for the Warriors since February 13 against the Wizards. According to the Warriors’ most recent injury report, released Thursday, Wiggins is staying out.
Though missing their wing stopper, the Warriors are slowly shaping up as they eagerly await the return of several key players.
Draymond Green returned to the lineup against the Trail Blazers on Tuesday after missing two games with a bruised knee. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Wednesday that Stephen Curry is targeting a return next week as he continues to work his way back from a lower leg injury. Curry – who fought with the Warriors’ G-League team earlier this week – has not played since early February. Along with Gary Payton II and Andre Iguodala, the Warriors have played long stretches without roughly half of their scheduled playoff rotation.
Outside of Curry, no piece is more important than Wiggins.
After playing a starring role in Golden State’s run to the 2022 NBA title — Wiggins was arguably the team’s second-best player behind Curry — the former No. 1 overall winner had a season of ups and downs.
Prior to this recent absence, Wiggins has moved in and out of the lineup and missed 20 of the team’s first 49 games at the start of the season. In addition to missing 15 games in December with an adductor strain, he also missed time with a nagging foot injury and non-COVID illness.
He’s played well when available, averaging 17.1 points per game, playing lockdown defense and shooting a career-best 39.6 percent from beyond the arc. If the Warriors are serious about defending their title, they need Wiggins.
MORE: Stephen Curry close to returning from injury
Here’s the latest update on what we know about Wiggins’ continued absence and when he might return.
Why isn’t Andrew Wiggins playing for the Warriors?
Wiggins is not in the lineup due to an ongoing personal family matter.
The Warriors initially listed Wiggins for the February 14 game against the Clippers for personal reasons. Although Steve Kerr confirmed they were expecting him back for their first game after the All-Star break on Feb. 23 against the Lakers, Wiggins missed that game and is staying away from the team.
Neither the Warriors nor Wiggins have given further details on his personal family affair. The Warriors included Wiggins in their injury report Thursday, listing him against the Clippers for personal reasons. As reported by The Athletic’s earlier in the week Anthony SlaterWiggins stays away from the team.
When will Andrew Wiggins return?
Warriors GM Bob Myers appeared on Bay Area Radio’s 95.7 The Game Thursday to shed some light on when he might be back. And while no return is imminent, Myers doesn’t expect Wiggins to miss the rest of the season.
“I don’t think anyone is planning that. But we leave that in its own place. That’s not the expectation. I think what you’re asking is – could he stay out for a long, long time? I don’t think that’s going to happen. I’ll leave that alone. Hopefully when he comes back, whatever he wants to say about it, which I don’t think will be much – it’s his personal life – he’ll do it.”
Without Wiggins, Curry, Iguodala (hip) and Payton II (abs), the Warriors managed to stay afloat in a packed Western Conference. They’re 32-30 and now in 5th place after moving up two spots after winning in Portland combined with losses to the Mavericks and Clippers. There’s little room for error, however, as they also sit just three games in the losing column against the 11th-place Lakers.
MORE: All the details on Draymond Green’s latest injury update
Warrior’s 2022-23 schedule
The Warriors are having a tough time in March, starting with the Clippers. Also on the schedule for next month are games against the Bucks, Suns, Clippers again, Mavericks and Grizzlies (x2).
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Here’s a look at Golden State’s upcoming schedule.
| Date | Opponent | time (ET) | TV channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd March | clippers | 22 O `clock | TNT |
| 3 March | pelicans | 22 O `clock | — |
| 5. March | at Lakers | 3:30 p.m | ABC |
| 7th March | at thunder | 8 p.m | — |
| March 11 | dollar | 8:30 p.m | ABC |
Andrew Wiggins stats this season
Here’s how Wiggins’ stats compare to last year’s All-Star season. As you can see, his performance was essentially at the level of the game that earned him an invite to the All-Star Weekend in 2022.
| 2021-22 | 2022-23 | |
| PPG | 17.2 | 17.1 |
| role playing game | 4.5 | 5.0 |
| APG | 2.2 | 2.3 |
| Stls PG | 1.0 | 1.2 |
| Blk’s PG | 0.7 | 0.8 |
| FG% | 46.6 | 47.3 |
| 3 FG% | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| missed games | 9 | 24 |
Wiggins’ return will be a deciding factor in whether the Warriors can avoid the play-in and possibly secure the home game in the first round.