Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins will not play in the team’s final two regular-season games, according to head coach Steve Kerr. The Warriors are striving to maintain their position within the top six in the NBA’s Western Conference to avoid the play-in tournament.
Wiggins returned to the team on Tuesday after a 48-day absence due to a personal family matter. Speaking at a press conference, Wiggins highlighted the importance of family, stating, “When you’re in a certain situation and your family needs you, it requires your attention and your love, that’s my first priority.”
Currently, Golden State (42-38) holds the fifth position in the Western Conference, barely ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers. Retaining a spot in the top six will allow the Warriors to avoid participating in the play-in tournament, in which the teams ranked 7-10 compete for the final two postseason spots.
To conclude the regular season, the Warriors will face the Sacramento Kings on Friday and the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday, both away games.
Although Wiggins will not be playing in these final games, his progress has been encouraging. In a recent interview on 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibs,” Kerr shared that Wiggins participated in 5-on-5 practice and appeared to be in good shape. However, the coach emphasized the importance of not rushing Wiggins’ conditioning, stating, “Health-wise, we can’t put him in a bad spot.”
Wiggins has not played since February 13th and has only participated in 37 games for the Warriors this season. Despite his absence, the team has managed to maintain a 23-20 record without him. The versatile player contributes on both offense and defense, averaging 17.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game this season.
While the exact reason for Wiggins’ absence was initially undisclosed, it has since been revealed that his father, Mitchell Wiggins, has been dealing with a serious medical situation since mid-February. Andrew Wiggins has expressed gratitude for the privacy and support the Warriors organization provided during this challenging time.