3 Warriors playing in their final games with Golden State

1. Andrew Wiggins is absolutely on the Warriors' chopping block

The Warriors held off on the temptation to move Andrew Wiggins at the trade deadline. For better or worse, only time will tell. Wiggins has been on the upswing lately. He spent a brief period coming off the bench, but now he's back to defending at a reasonably high level and hitting 3s. Over his last 10 games, the 28-year-old is averaging 14.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on .533/.515/.773 splits. That is not a sustainable 3-point clip, but Wiggins is back on track after a brutally poor start to the campaign.

While Golden State ended up keeping Wiggins, he was surely discussed as part of the now-infamous failed trade for LeBron James. The former No. 1 pick was one of the buzziest names in the rumor mill, and now we know the Warriors want to pair Curry with a superstar wing. The Warriors have the trade ammo to maneuver aggressively in the offseason. Kuminga, Podziemski, Moses Moody, and three first-round picks can get you a long way. All that is missing from that group is salary filler. Wiggins, who is slated to make $26.3 million next season, is just that.

If the Warriors want to meaningfully shake up the roster, it will essentially require a Wiggins trade. Paul and his contract are coming off the books. Thompson is a free agent. Curry is untouchable. The best case scenario for Golden State is that Wiggins recoups value over the second half of the season, in turn making his long-term contract — which runs through the 2026-27 season — a bit more palatable for interested front offices. Every team wants a quality 3-and-D wing. Wiggins can still provide that.

There's a chance Golden State stands pat in the offseason, but it's becoming increasingly unlikely. The odds will decrease even further if the Warriors flame out early in the playoffs. It's now or never as Curry approaches his age-36 season. Green and Thompson don't have much left in the tank. The pressure is on for Golden State to field a winner. If this season's team doesn't have it, Wiggins is squarely on the chopping block.