Raptors add Wiggins to their roster! (No, not that one)

The Toronto Raptors announced the signing of Nick Wiggins, the older brother of Andrew. He will join the Raptors 905 Development League team immediately.

Nick’s career trajectory as a professional has not quite approached that of his kid bro, last season’s NBA Rookie of the Year. Nick has had several stints in the D-, Euro- and Summer-Leagues, but hasn’t dressed in a regular-season big league game yet. I’ve only seen him a few times, and he strikes me as one of many similar swingmen in the minors. If I were his agent, I’d advise him to concentrate on defense. There’s little in his resume to indicate a top-level scoring or ball-handling capability.

Sep 28, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Nick Wiggins (6) poses for a photo during media day at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

At this point, you may well wonder why I’m bothering to write about Nick at all. Yes, it’s certainly pleasant to welcome home a fellow citizen after he’s spent years outside of Canada. But is Nick likely to step into the bright lights of the Air Canada Centre? On an organization-wide depth chart he’d rank about eighth at the moment, so the Raptors would have to suffer an unprecedented rash of injuries before he’d be called up.

However, could he be the man who can whisper in Andrew’s ear? “Come home, little brother, come home” would be a sweet refrain to hear around the Payne/Wiggins supper table this Christmas. Andrew is in his second season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and has given that team no reason to regret trading for him (and Anthony Bennett) while giving up Kevin Love. Andrew has a team option in 2017-18 at about $7.5 million, which the T’Wolves will proffer in a heartbeat. His qualifying-year offer in ’18-’19 is $9.8M, which at current course and speed he will certainly decline.

Andrew is a proud Canadian, and a critical member of our national hoops team striving for an Olympic berth. If Nick becomes a happy 905er (is that the right term? I don’t know – it’s so silly), and perhaps enjoys a cup of coffee with the big team, he might be inclined to tell Andrew the time has come to rejoin his family. While I don’t wish ill on any team, if the T’Wolves can’t pull themselves out of the doldrums they have been in for a decade, Andrew may get fed up. Like Kevin Garnett and Carmelo Anthony (and Love!), he could force a trade by quietly informing management to get what they can for him, before he becomes a Restricted Free Agent, or walks for nothing the following year.