Why Warriors should bench this former All-Star

It's time to admit it. The Golden State Warriors are a bad team, now 12th in the Western Conference. A chief culprit for their poor play is former All-Star forward Andrew Wiggins, an 11-year veteran whose play has sunk to a career-worst level.

The 28-year-old forward is averaging career lows for points and assists (11.9 PPG and 1.3 APG) and snatching only 4.2 rebounds a game. His efficiency is equally troubling as he's shooting just 42.2 percent from the field and a career-worst 29.7 percent from beyond the arc. His perimeter defense, a key asset during Golden State's magical 2022 championship run, has significantly deteriorated, too. 

Wiggins' play could be crippling his trade value, although longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein said on his podcast recently the Warriors (17-19) "will be open" to offers.

“When I talk to other teams more and more, I’m hearing that there’s an anticipation now that the Warriors will be open to trading Andrew Wiggins, because Wiggins and [Jonathan] Kuminga, when they’ve played together, the Warriors would be the first to tell you it hasn’t gone well,”  he said.

Following an embarrassing 133-118 loss to the Toronto Raptors (15-21) at home, the Warriors are just 2-5 in their past seven games. Six of those games were played at home. The organization finds itself at a crossroads, and change is desperately needed.

Aside from the internal politics of benching a four-year, $109 million contract, there's no justification for Golden State playing Wiggins over 21-year-olds Kuminga and Moses Moody. Both have been better players this season and have more potential for growth on the court.

Kuminga has scored double-digits in 16 consecutive games and his rim pressure is unmatched by anyone else on the team. Moody shines anytime he gets into the rotation, which doesn't happen enough due to head coach Steve Kerr's questionable and sometimes foolish decision-making.

Except for (maybe) Kevon Looney, a limited offensive player, Wiggins is the worst offensive player in Golden State's rotation. He doesn't consistently finish at the rim anymore, has no playmaking ability and seems to have lost confidence.

In a striking display of efficiency, Moody racked up 21 points in just 22 minutes against the Raptors, shooting an impressive 7-for-9 from the field. In stark contrast, Wiggins was terrible, scoring three points from 1-of-6 shooting in 17 minutes, culminating in a game-low plus/minus of -29, an alarmingly low number. 

Wiggins, a former No. 1 overall pick, has scored 20 points or more only four times in the 32 games he's played this season.

Over the season, Wiggins is a team-low minus-150 plus/minus, meaning the team has been outscored by 150 points when he is on the floor. He significantly trails Looney, who is second with minus-62. Notably, Golden State has outscored opponents by 157 points when Wiggins sits.

These numbers paint a clear picture of just how bad Wiggins is playing. He isn't the same player he once was. It's time for the Warriors to bench Wiggins and spread his minutes between Kuminga and Moody.