Kerr: Wiggins will stay away from team indefinitely
LOS ANGELES — Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr reiterated Thursday that Andrew Wiggins will remain away from the team indefinitely.
Kerr couldn’t confirm a timeline for when the forward will return to practices and games as he continues to deal with what the Warriors are calling a “family matter.”
Wiggins, who turned 28 on Thursday, missed Golden State’s final game ahead of the All-Star break against the Clippers. He didn’t play Thursday against the Lakers and wasn’t present at either of the team’s two practices at UCLA earlier in the week.
Donte DiVincenzo started in Wiggins’ place against the Clippers on Feb. 14 and against the Lakers on Thursday. Kerr also went with a smaller lineup overall, starting Jonathan Kuminga in place of Kevon Looney.
The Warriors have stressed that Wiggins is in good health and will return to the team when he’s ready to do so. Until then, Golden State will be without a starter who has averaged 17.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 47.3 percent from the field and 39.6 percent from 3-point range.
Availability has been a major issue for Wiggins in his third full season with the Warriors, one filled with injury, sickness and now this ongoing absence. He has played in just 37 of the Warriors’ 59 games this season.
A right adductor strain and non-COVID illness forced Wiggins to miss 15 games from Dec. 5 to Jan. 4. He was averaging 19.1 points while shooting 51.1 percent from the field and 45 percent from 3-point range before that stretch. In the 14 games after he returned, he dropped to 14.2 points while shooting 41.4 percent from the field and 28.9 per
cent from deep.
Wiggins appeared to finally be turning a corner after scoring a team-high 29 points on 12-for-23 shooting with seven rebounds and four assists in a 135-126 victory over Washington on Feb. 13.
Now, in the midst of another prolonged absence, it’s hard to tell when he’ll fully regain his rhythm.
The Warriors are also missing Stephen Curry, who will be out at least another week as he recovers from a lower left leg injury.
That makes it all the more difficult on the Warriors in the Western Conference, where the gap between third place and 13th was six games entering play Thursday. Golden State was in ninth, one game out of sixth place but also one game ahead of 11th — which would be one spot shy of the play-in round.
“I think these are huge games, and it’s going to be exciting every single night,” Kerr said.