Andrew Wiggins has again been called away from basketball to deal with a personal matter, so when will he be back?
Before the Warriors tipped off against the Knicks at MSG last week, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters that it’s a “personal issue that he’s dealing with” and that the team expect him back, but the issue will remain private.
Since then, NBA insider Shams Charania has reported that Wiggins is dealing with a family issue.
“I’m told Andrew Wiggins is dealing and tending to a serious family matter right now,” Charania said. “The Warriors are giving him his space, they’re giving him his time. The expectation is Andrew Wiggins will be returning at some point this season. They’re optimistic about that, but they also understand he’s going through this process.”
Andrew Wiggins dealing with family matters will no doubt give some Golden State fans some PTSD.
Last time Wiggins was dealing with a personal matter, he didn’t play for two months during crucial games for the Warriors last season.
After weeks of speculation, it was revealed that Wiggins’ father was dealing with a serious medical situation.
Some, like 95.7 The Game’s Dan Dibey, think that this will be the last straw for the forward in The Bay.
“I think it’s over,” Dibley said recently. “He will never be a Warrior again. I think the year is over. I think they get to the offseason and find a way to part ways.”
However, Sports NBC’s Monte Poole argues that the franchise are doing the right thing by letting Wiggins be away from the team and that it won’t affect his future.
“The Warriors are doing the right thing,” Poole said. “The moral compass of this franchise exists largely through the words and deeds of Stephen Curry and Kerr, who share an exemplary sense of perspective that spans the human spectrum. …So, as much as the Warriors would like to have Wiggins with them, they know he is where he should be. His family needs him more than they do.”