The Golden State Warriors are set for the return of small forward and former No. 1 pick Andrew Wiggins after he missed 21 games due to a “personal matter.”
The reigning NBA champions are expected to have the 28-year-old back in their lineup this week, and he is likely to be courtside for their crucial clash against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night.
ESPN Sources: Golden State Warriors All-Star forward Andrew Wiggins is nearing a return to the team and is expected to be back early this week. Wiggins has missed 21 games attending to a family matter. Huge boost for the defending champions and sixth seed in the West. pic.twitter.com/bQAw8ixINI
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 3, 2023
Golden State Warriors head coach, Steve Kerr said in a post-match conference last week that he was particularly expecting Wiggins to return before the end of the regular season.
“Wiggins has been working out on his own every day. When and if he returns, the training and medical staffs would need to evaluate his fitness and how much he might be able to contribute, and how soon,” he said last Tuesday.
“Beyond that, once he’s back, our training staff will be able to get with him and see where he is.”
Wiggins, a first-time All-Star last season, reached the playoffs for just the second time in his eight-year career, finishing as the Warriors’ second-highest scorer while often taking on tough defensive tasks in the Warriors’ hunt for fourth championship in eight years.
His lengthy absence has been notable in Kerr’s side this season as they are currently the 19th-best defensive team in the league with a defensive rating of 114.8, a massive drop-off from last season when they had a rating of 106.9.
Wiggins, who signed a four-year contract extension with the Warriors last October, has played in just 37 games this season, averaging 17.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.2 steals in 32.2 minutes per game.
The Golden State Warriors are currently sixth in the Western Conference with a 41-38 win-loss record, and his expected return provides a huge boost for the seven-time champions with three more games in the regular season – against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Sacramento Kings, and Portland Trail Blazers.
