The wide speculation surrounding Golden State’s All-Star forward can be put to rest. Andrew Wiggins has returned to organization with the team fighting for a playoff spot. There are many questions regarding the roster with the addition of Andrew back in the fold, but the main  question is how will the Warriors look to incorporate him? 

Due to personal reasons, the two-way wing has missed 24 games of the regular season after his last game against the Washington Wizards at Chase Center, where he recorded 29 points, 7 rebounds, and shot above 50% from the field in 39 minutes. 

There is no official timetable for his return to the court outside of a note from Steve Kerr that he won’t play the last two of the team’s regular season games, but the organization remains cautiously optimistic. General Manager Bob Myers talked to the media before their game against the Thunder.

“Regarding return to play, that will be decided by the medical staff. Basketball requires  a certain level of stamina and endurance, and we need to ensure he’s ready to play when he returns” Myers said. 

There has been a lot of speculation surrounding Wiggs’ health, conditioning, and if he’s in game shape. He spoke on his availability in the press conference with Myers, saying “I got a lot of shots up, lifted a couple of  times, but more so on the court, I was getting a lot of work in.” 

Based on previous players returning from absence and how the training staff has handled returns,  it’s safe to assume that Wiggins starts on a limited restriction. Depending on his conditioning and game shape, he will see between fifteen to twenty minutes in a low-stakes first few games of playoff series. There is a scenario where he comes off the bench in his return as well. 

The Warriors will look to incorporate Wiggins on both sides of the court in many ways,  including vertical spacing, the ability to switch on defense, and utilizing his high basketball IQ for cuts and off-ball activity. Still, the most critical aspects he will provide are perimeter defense and rebounding. 

Wiggs will bring athleticism and defensive intensity to the team that will bolster their defense,  especially on the outside where they’ve struggled. Through 80 games, the Warriors have been lackluster around the 3-point line, and opponents have been making more than 36% from beyond the arc resulting in a perimeter defense ranking 19th overall in the association. He also brings an element of aggressiveness on offense where he  relentlessly attacks the rim and gets a shot off at any time anywhere on the court, two things which Golden State sorely misses with him.

His presence will improve their floor spacing, transition defense, and he’ll demand respect from defenders resulting in more open shots and space for their shooters like Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole, and Donte DiVincenzo. He plays a pivotal role for  Golden State, seamlessly connecting the championship core and the young players with both his age and skillset.

“Him being present is huge for us. He brings everyone together. It’s fantastic to see Wiggs back,” Warriors guard Gary Payton II, a championship teammate of Andrew’s, after the Warriors home finale. 

If the Warriors can get Wiggins back to playing like the All-Star starter-caliber player he was last  season, they will not only be the healthiest and deepest they’ve been all season heading into the playoffs, but they will be a force to reckon with this year.

(Photo credit: Jeff Chiu / Associated Press)