Andrew Wiggins is expected to sign a five-year, $148 million contract extension with the Minnesota Timberwolves, per Shams Charania of the Vertical at Yahoo Sports. The deal will lock up the Wolves’ rising star through 2023, crushing Canadian hoops fans’ dream of seeing the homegrown kid playing for the Toronto Raptors soon.
However, there’s still hope for Wiggins to wear a Raptors jersey in foreseeable future. And as what this crazy offseason taught NBA fans, anything can happen in a blink of an eye.
Wiggins facing huge pressure
Getting a max contract extension is both a blessing and curse for Wiggins leading up to his fourth NBA season.
The no.1 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft has made steady progress over the last three years, as he upped his scoring average from 16.9 ppg in his rookie year to a career-best 23.6 ppg last season.
However, his numbers are expected to drop a bit this coming season with the emergence of Karl-Anthony Towns as the no.1 offensive option and the arrival of another high-usage player Jimmy Butler. Wiggins will still play a pivotal role as part of the Wolves’ Big 3, but the prevailing situation in Minnesota requires him to accept the role of the third guy on the block.
This offseason saw All-Star guard Kyrie Irving orchestrating a trade out of Cleveland because of his desire to step outside the shadow of LeBron James.
With the Boston Celtics, Irving will get a much bigger role than he had in Cleveland. He will have all the opportunity in the world to prove he can be ‘the man’ on a title contender, which is something Wiggins could seek for at some point in his career.
The Raptors homecoming
Wiggins faces a huge pressure of living up to his sizable contract.
Despite the fact that he will have to share the ball with two other stars, expectations remain high on his development, particularly as a two-way player. Wolves head coach and general manager Tom Thibodeau is high on Wiggins’ potential, though he also understands there are areas he still needs to improve.
“He has to continue to work.
Obviously, there is a lot of room for improvement. Same thing with Karl. The sky is the limit for them," Thibs on Wiggins’ growth via the Associated Press.
Wiggins should take in his coach’s advice well because Thibodeau isn’t afraid in making trades. A significant drop-off in his performance could prompt Thibs to explore the trade market in search of a better fit in Minnesota. On the other hand, it’s very unlikely for Wiggins to have a disappointing season, barring an injury. He was projected to be an All-Star talent prior to entering the draft, and he will likely become one this season.
As for Raptors GM Masai Ujiri, he should pay close attention on Wiggins’ body language. If he becomes a full-fledged star this year, the crave of becoming the focal point of a team becomes a lot harder to resist.
The Wolves cannot anymore give Wiggins a franchise player treatment because they already have an anointed one in Anthony-Towns. It’s a situation even the Cavaliers failed to figure out. Minnesota is doomed if that happens.
Should Wiggins become available on the trading block, Ujiri must be the first one ringing the Wolves’ front-office hotline. Sending a package centered on All-Star shooting guard DeMar DeRozan would do the job for both teams. Minnesota gets a proven backcourt player in DeRozan while Toronto acquires a franchise player who will be endeared by Toronto fans.
Again, this doesn’t mean the Wolves are going to trade Wiggins soon. He will be part of Minnesota’s core for more years to come until he’s proven otherwise.
