Jayhawks in the NBA

[Deleted User 863]

The only thing preventing it is that his salary cap hit is as much as Jokic and Embiid. Hard to pay a guy the same amount as #1 and #2 in the MVP race to be your 4th best player.

It won't be once Embiid and Jokic and Wiggins are all under new contracts in the next few years.

Yeah, Wiggins contract has just one year remaining so I expect that he will be taking a pay cut in his next contract. He'd be wise to look for a similar role where he doesn't have to be one of the superstar players on a team. He just doesn't seem to be wired for that.

Also, based on his popularity with teammates, this may be the time in some of their careers where they start restructuring contracts to facilitate the ability to continue winning.

I don't think Wiggins should feel obligated to take less money so that he can stay in GS if others aren't also willing to share in that burden in an effort to create the best team possible. Looking at Klay and Draymond. Poole is going to get a large payday soon too. GS would be wise to keep him around. Same with Wiggins. Especially when you account for how much Wiggins actually plays each season. His durability is an asset on an older team.

[twocoach]

It won't be once Embiid and Jokic and Wiggins are all under new contracts in the next few years.

Yeah, Wiggins contract has just one year remaining so I expect that he will be taking a pay cut in his next contract. He'd be wise to look for a similar role where he doesn't have to be one of the superstar players on a team. He just doesn't seem to be wired for that.

Also, based on his popularity with teammates, this may be the time in some of their careers where they start restructuring contracts to facilitate the ability to continue winning.

I don't think Wiggins should feel obligated to take less money so that he can stay in GS if others aren't also willing to share in that burden in an effort to create the best team possible. Looking at Klay and Draymond. Poole is going to get a large payday soon too. GS would be wise to keep him around. Same with Wiggins. Especially when you account for how much Wiggins actually plays each season. His durability is an asset on an older team.

I think GS should trade Klay and go with Curry/Poole/Wiggins/Greene and Looney/Wiseman.

[Deleted User 863]

Yeah, Wiggins contract has just one year remaining so I expect that he will be taking a pay cut in his next contract. He'd be wise to look for a similar role where he doesn't have to be one of the superstar players on a team. He just doesn't seem to be wired for that.

Also, based on his popularity with teammates, this may be the time in some of their careers where they start restructuring contracts to facilitate the ability to continue winning.

I don't think Wiggins should feel obligated to take less money so that he can stay in GS if others aren't also willing to share in that burden in an effort to create the best team possible. Looking at Klay and Draymond. Poole is going to get a large payday soon too. GS would be wise to keep him around. Same with Wiggins. Especially when you account for how much Wiggins actually plays each season. His durability is an asset on an older team.

I think GS should trade Klay and go with Curry/Poole/Wiggins/Greene and Looney/Wiseman.

In a vacuum, I agree.

But in reality, I think he has probably earned the right to retire a Warrior assuming he is willing to make concessions (if necessary) to make that possible.

[randylahey]

This season makes me believe they'll keep him.
Ramps up his defense. Makes All Star team.
Kerr, Steph and Dray love the dude.

The only thing preventing it is that his salary cap hit is as much as Jokic and Embiid. Hard to pay a guy the same amount as #1 and #2 in the MVP race to be your 4th best player.

Wiggins is easily the 2nd best player on that team at this point

[twocoach]

This season makes me believe they'll keep him.
Ramps up his defense. Makes All Star team.
Kerr, Steph and Dray love the dude.

The only thing preventing it is that his salary cap hit is as much as Jokic and Embiid. Hard to pay a guy the same amount as #1 and #2 in the MVP race to be your 4th best player.

Wiggins is easily the 2nd best player on that team at this point

Appreciate the Jayhawk love but he isn't.

[Deleted User 863]

Some games he is.

Most games he isn't.

On most nights he can be anywhere between 2nd and 5th. Occasionally 1st. Less occasionally 6th or worse.

[NDballer13]

The only thing preventing it is that his salary cap hit is as much as Jokic and Embiid. Hard to pay a guy the same amount as #1 and #2 in the MVP race to be your 4th best player.

Wiggins is easily the 2nd best player on that team at this point

Appreciate the Jayhawk love but he isn't.

I'd agree with this, but if you were to argue he's been the 2nd best player for them during the post-season, I think there could be a point made for that.

[Deleted User 863]

He's their 1st or 2nd best defensive player. That matters. With Steph Klay and Poole scoring isn't something he needs to do every single night. But defending the other teams best guard/wing is.

[randylahey]

I dont think you guys are watching the games if u think wiggs isn't the 2nd best player on that team behind Steph. Name one other player on the warriors roster better than him right now

[Deleted User 863]

I dont think you guys are watching the games if u think wiggs isn't the 2nd best player on that team behind Steph. Name one other player on the warriors roster better than him right now

Right now? As in the last handful of games. Absolutely.

This entire post season? Maybe. 3rd at worst. But defense is the reason. Klay Steph and Poole all are averaging more points than him in the playoffs. Draymond averaging 8 6 and 7, and some of his stuff doesn't show up in box scores.

But Klay isn't a scrub. Draymond isn't a scrub. Jordan Poole isn't a scrub. If ranking them as players, not just "right now", he's probably 3rd or 4th. But his stock is rising, as is Poole's. Klay and Draymond stock will begin falling as time goes on.

[randylahey]

Draymond is an awesome overall player but can't shoot the basketball. Not better than Wiggins. Draymond is the one argument id take seriously here cause of his defense passing etc

Jordan Poole can get hot and score points. But Wiggins is better at every other aspect of the game. Jordan Poole is basically playing that sixth man scorer role. Hes overhyped right now. Theres tons of guys like him in the league

Klay Thompson is solid. But he missed 2 full seasons of basketball. He is not his former self. He is no longer the klay Thompson you guys are thinking of

[randylahey]

The job Wiggins has done on Luka has been remarkable. Luka was absolutely shredding people coming into this series. Hell you could argue Luka is the most potent offensive weapon on the league right now. But Wiggins is also rebounding the ball at a high level and being a productive offensive player too while being fully locked in on guarding Luka.

Wiggins is absolutely the 2nd best player on Golden state right now

[Deleted User 863]

Luka is still shredding people. He's averaging 34pts 7.7rebs 5ast 1.7stl and 1blk in the GS series. Pts are up from 2022 playoff average. Rebs and Ast slightly down.

The warriors are just a significantly better team.

But I agree Wiggins is doing a really good job on him. And I agree Wiggins has been the 2nd best GS player in the Mavs series. But that's only 3 games of the 14 playoff games they've played so far this year.

Klay has had moments where he was the 2nd best player. Poole has had moments where he was the 2nd best player.

[Deleted User 863]

Klay Thompson is solid. But he missed 2 full seasons of basketball. He is not his former self. He is no longer the klay Thompson you guys are thinking of

Klay is definitely not quite back to the old Klay, we agree there.

But in the playoffs he's averaging more minutes than Wiggins. More points than Wiggins. More assists than Wiggins. The same amount of steals as Wiggins. The same amount of blocks as Wiggins. The same amount of turnovers as Wiggins. Shooting about the same eFG% as Wiggins. And averaging only 2 less rebounds than Wiggins.

It's a lot closer than you're making it out to be. And I am not even saying I disagree that Wiggins has been their 2nd best player in the playoffs. I said maybe he has. But the stats are extremely close. And it's not like Klay gets to hide in the corner on defense like Steph does. Klay has to guard the other teams good offensive players too, just not as much as Wiggins.

[Deleted User 863]

Jordan Poole can get hot and score points. But Wiggins is better at every other aspect of the game.

Not free throws.
Not assists.
Not eFG%.

[Deleted User 863]

Either way, the fact we are having the discussion shows how damn good the Warriors are now that they're healthy. Not sure anyone is going to have a chance against them. The teams I thought had a chance to beat them have been eliminated. Their toughest series is probably going to end up being Memphis.

I think the Bucks could have given them trouble, but the Bucks are home watching games on TV.

[randylahey]

The mavs aren't that good. Feels like they are missing a piece still, and Luka getting them to the conference finals was "ahead of schedule"

I think Miami or Boston would give the warriors a better series, particularly Boston if healthy.

But yeah, nobody is beating golden state

[randylahey]

I still think you're crazy thinking Jordan Poole is on that same level tho. Hes a good scorer. But so is Jordan Clarkson or Spencer Dinwiddie.

[Deleted User 863]

I still think you're crazy thinking Jordan Poole is on that same level tho. Hes a good scorer. But so is Jordan Clarkson or Spencer Dinwiddie.

Jordan Poole on what level?

I'd say he's their 5th best player.

[Deleted User 863]

For reference Spencer Dinwiddie is averaging 13.7pts per game in the playoffs, and just under 16 on the season (for Dallas).

Clarkson 17.5pts in the playoffs and 16pts on the season.

Poole is averaging 18.9pts per game in the playoffs, and 18.5pts on the season.

I think Poole is better than Spencer Dinwiddie and Jordan Clarkson.