Demotion Letter To 5-Star Player From Warriors Coach…
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr sent a message of support to Andrew Wiggins despite pulling him out from the starting lineup.
“[It’s] Not easy for him,” Kerr said to reporters on Thursday, December 14, following the Warriors’ 121-113 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Except for the one playoff game when he returned from absence last year, I don’t think he has ever played off the bench. Thus, although I am aware of [Wiggins], this is not an easy moment for him. Given his character, I have faith in him.
Off the bench, Wiggins scored nine points on four of nine shots. In a frustrating 22 minutes off the bench, he added three rebounds and one block. He made five fouls.
About Wiggins, Kerr remarked, “I thought he was great the way he approached it.” He exuded vitality. He guarded Kawhi [Leonard] outside, got on the floor for loose balls, and provided us with the necessary length and athleticism. However, he handled himself so well because that is the nature of [Wiggins]. He’s a fantastic groupmate. Fantastic Pro
Leonard went 1 of 2 against Wiggins. Overall, the Clippers shot 5 of 10 against the demoted Warriors forward.
Andrew Wiggins’ Debacle
This season, Wiggins is averaging 12.0 points on 41.4% shooting, his lowest scoring average since his rookie year. His sharp decline was jarring since he played a pivotal role in the Warriors’ title run two seasons ago.
Last year, Wiggins missed 22 games to attend to his ailing father, former NBA player Mitchell Wiggins.
He’s never been the same player after that personal crisis.
Steve Kerr Explains Lineup Shuffle
Replacing Wiggins and the suspended Draymond Green in the starting lineup were rookie Brandin Podziemski and third-year forward Jonathan Kuminga.
“It felt like we needed a shift,” Kerr said of his decision to shuffle the rotation. “I feel like Brandin gives us the extra playmaker on the floor in the starting lineup. Obviously, he’s a great rebounder, competes excellent defender, and then JK deserves the minutes with Draymond out.
“It’s a perfect time for [Kuminga] to step in and it feels like a group that can really connect and then I like being able to bring Chris [Paul] and Dario [Saric] off the bench to really anchor that unit.”
Podziemski struggled from the field, connecting on just 2 of 11 attempts for four points. But he and starting center Kevon Looney led the Warriors in rebounding with seven each. The moxy guard also added three steals and two assists for good measure.
The only player to finish with a positive net rating was Kuminga. In his first official start, the Warriors outscored the Clippers by five points per 100 possessions. With 15 points, he finished as the team’s third-leading scorer. He also packed the stat sheet with five rebounds, one assist, one steal, and just one turnover.
Despite the loss, Kerr still believes in the depth of their roster.
“We got a deep team, bringing [Wiggins] off the bench with Moses [Moody]. We have some guys. These are damn good players. So I think we’re deep and I think we’re gonna we’re gonna make a little run. I really believe that,” Kerr said.
Kerr continued, saying he will play a few games with this new starting lineup before making any adjustments.