Wiggins expected to return this season

NEW YORK — The Golden State Warriors expect starting forward Andrew Wiggins to return this season.

When he’ll return, they don’t yet know.

Speaking Thursday before the Warriors played the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, head coach Steve Kerr confirmed the 29-year-old’s absences are excused: “This is a personal issue he’s dealing with. We expect him back. It’ll remain private.”

Kerr also said he has been in contact with Wiggins, as has the team’s director of sports medicine and performance, Rick Celebrini.

Wiggins, who missed the final 25 regular-season games last year over a family matter, on Tuesday sat out a 123-112 victory over the Washington Wizards amid personal reasons and was scratched Wednesday from Thursday’s game. He had been rounding into form in a new-look, small-ball starting lineup — averaging 15.3 points on 53.5% shooting and 4.8 rebounds in his past nine games.

Third-year wing Moses Moody started for Wiggins on Tuesday, supplying steady perimeter defense to go with 12 points on 4for-7 shooting. Moody — a reserve whose rotational role has wavered this season — averaged 13.6 points on 54.1% shooting in five starts prior to Thursday’s game.

Kerr said he wants Moody to defend with energy and without fouling in addition to shooting when he’s open and moving the ball when he isn’t to preserve Golden State’s offensive flow.

“I do feel like what I can do adds a different dynamic to what we are,” Moody said Tuesday, “but then also knowing I haven’t been in that unit for a while so trying to get out there and figure out where to be, how everybody’s playing, so it can be a smooth transition.

“A lot of it is mental, too, just figuring it out,” Moody added. “But once it’s figured out, it only takes a possession or two.”