“Warriors’ Nightmare Continues: Andrew Wiggins Sidelined with Left Ankle Injury”
In another blow to the already injury-riddled season for the Golden State Warriors, Andrew Wiggins suffered a left ankle injury during their recent clash against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. The unfortunate incident occurred with less than a minute remaining in the second quarter when Wiggins, attempting to secure a defensive rebound against Hawks center Clint Capela, landed on Capela’s foot and twisted his left ankle.
The impact of the injury was evident as Wiggins exited the court, visibly hobbled. Shortly after halftime, the Warriors officially announced that Wiggins would not be returning to the game due to the left ankle injury, further dampening the team’s spirits.
Andrew Wiggins (left ankle injury) will not return to tonight’s game.
— Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) February 4, 2024
Brandin Podziemski stepped in for Wiggins during the third quarter, attempting to fill the void left by the injured player. Wiggins, despite struggling in the 19 minutes he played, managed to contribute with four rebounds and two blocked shots. His performance, however, reflected the challenges he has faced throughout the season, averaging a career-low 12.4 points per game, along with registering career-low averages for assists and steals.
In the last five games, Wiggins had shown signs of improvement, posting an average of 16.6 points per contest. While this surpassed his season average, it still fell short of his career average of 18.7 points. The setback from the ankle injury adds to the ongoing injury woes that have haunted the Warriors this season, with key players like Chris Paul, Moses Moody, Gary Payton II, and Dario Saric already sidelined due to various health issues.
Adding a layer of intrigue to the situation, reports suggest that the Dallas Mavericks have expressed the most interest in acquiring Andrew Wiggins in the past two weeks. Matt Moore of Action Network revealed that the Warriors are actively looking to move Wiggins, citing his challenging plus-minus splits this season. The reported interest from Dallas revolves around their desire to enhance size and athleticism on the wing, with Wiggins fitting the bill at 6-foot-7 with a wingspan of 7 feet.
Wiggins is currently under a guaranteed contract until the 2025-26 season, with a player option for the 2026-27 season. As the Warriors grapple with their injury challenges, the potential departure of Wiggins could reshape the team dynamics, and the reported interest from Dallas only adds to the speculation surrounding the future of the talented forward.
Moore said the Warriors are looking to move Wiggins.
“The other player the Warriors are looking to move is Andrew Wiggins, whose plus-minus splits this season are essentially a horror show,” Moore said. “The team with the most interest in Wiggins over the last two weeks, according to sources, is the Dallas Mavericks. Details of talks aren’t known.”
“Wiggins would provide Dallas with a more stable small forward option who can also play power forward, as free agency acquisition Grant Williams has been disappointing.”
