The Dubs head coach wants Andrew Wiggins to up his three-point usage.
The Golden State Warriors are hopeful that small forward Andrew Wiggins is able to bounce back from a down 2023-24 season. Head coach Steve Kerr told Kerith Burke of NBC Sports Bay Area that he has a very specific goal for Wiggins this season, shoot around six threes a game.
Steve Kerr told me he’d like Andrew Wiggins to shoot about 6 threes a game. The offense will feature Wiggs more, giving Wiggins a chance to emerge as the team’s #2 scoring option.
— Kerith Burke (@KerithBurke) September 30, 2024
Wiggins is coming offthe least productive of his career. He appeared in 71 games (59 starts), but averaged just 13.2 points per game. Wiggins’ had never averaged fewer than the 16.9 points per game in a campaign prior to last year.
The Warriors wing acknowledged earlier in the day that the team will need him to take on a heavier scoring workload following the departure of Klay Thompson in free agency. A less hesitant outside shooting approach would be one way to try and make that shift.
Wiggins only averaged 3.6 three-point attempts per game last season, but as with his overall scoring numbers, that was a notable decline from previous iterations. From 2019-2023, Wiggins averaged 5.6 three-point attempts per game and actually had more than six attempts per game in the 2019-20 and 2022-23 seasons.
While Wiggins has never been an elite three-point shooter, he has also been a fairly consistent outside shooter. A career 35.4% three-point shooter, Wiggins has made 38.1% of his threes since joining Golden State (did someone say Steph Curry effect). Moreover, Wiggins has never shown a dip in efficiency with a higher usage.
It still remains to be seen who will emerge as the Warriors second scorer next to Curry. Wiggins is the obvious veteran option, but young Jonathan Kuminga seems primed for a breakout season. That said, Kuminga and Wiggins may both be at their best at the 3. Kerr will undeniably try to have them flourish alongside each other on the court, but if either one struggles, Kerr could face some difficult decisions.