It was a pretty eventful weekend in the wacky world of NBA basketball, huh?
Of course, it started with the absurd Luka Dončić-Anthony Davis trade swap that completely flipped the NBA landscape on its head. Then, on Sunday evening, fans were treated to yet another blockbuster deal. The widely reported rumors of De'Aaron Fox to San Antonio would become true, while Zach LaVine is set to reunite with DeMar DeRozan over in Sacramento.
If these crazy deals suggest anything, fans might be in for one of the most action-packed NBA trade deadlines of all time.
Now, moving over to the Toronto Raptors and rumblings of their rumored trade deadline moves. A recent report, courtesy of veteran NBA insider Marc Stein, revealed that they might be working to add another hometown hero in the Six: enter Golden State Warriors wing Andrew Wiggins.
The 29-year-old experienced a steep decline in his production and overall impact for the Warriors last season, but this year he's proving to be quite effective once again. On the season, Wiggins' statistical averages are as follows: 17.4 points, shooting 38% from beyond the arc, 4.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and one steal per game.
Wiggins might've not lived up to his "Maple Jordan" moniker at one point coming into the 2014 draft as a consensus top prospect, but he's still carving out a solid career as a protoypical 3-and-D wing.
Wiggins being linked to Toronto lies heavily in the Raptors' involvement in a potential Jimmy Butler deal, which Marc Stein described as follows:
"The Raptors, though, have likewise been widely billed as a team eager to participate in a Butler trade if possible. Amid a belief that the Golden State Warriors continue to weigh whether to commit fully to the pursuit of Butler — which would almost certainly require the Warriors to include Andrew Wiggins as a centerpiece of their trade package to sufficiently reach Butler's $48.8 million salary this season — there is an equally strong expectation that the Raptors would try to insert themselves into such a trade construction to acquire the Canadian Wiggins."Marc Stein, February 1, 2025
So, the target here is not to acquire Butler himself; rather, the Raptors could swoop in with their heftier tradable contracts (Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, and Chris Boucher) to work out a multi-team transaction that redirects Wiggins back home to Toronto.
Although the Butler drama intensifies, new reports suggest the 34-year-old has no interest in signing an extension with the Golden State Warriors, leaving those rumors dead in the water—at least for now.
The Heat’s Jimmy Butler has communicated to the Warriors that he’s unwilling to sign an extension there & therefore trade talks to send him to Golden State have ended for now, sources told ESPN.
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) February 3, 2025
But that doesn’t mean Masai Ujiri can’t still find a way to acquire the Canadian, Wiggins. He could still be rerouted to Toronto if their plans to be major players at the trade deadline remain.
Wiggins' large sum of money owed aside ($26M this season, $28M next season, and a $30M player option in 2026-27), his possible addition to the Raptors gives franchise star Scottie Barnes another quality running mate; someone who can shoulder some of the offensive load while also being a capable defender in his own right.
Wiggins would add a sense of pride to Raptors and pairs well with Barnes
The issue that stands is Toronto would have a good chunk of their salary cap ingrained in their hypothetical starting five: Immanuel Quickley, Andrew Wiggins, Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, and Jakob Poeltl. Is this team good enough to compete in the East? How does a rebuild work if all your money is tied up in a core group of guys? Is it still in the Raptors' best interests to chase a top-end prospect come June?
Moreover, if Wiggins somehow finds his way up north, does that mean Toronto puts his fellow countryman Barrett on the trade block? One could make the argument that Wiggins and Barrett's pairing is a bit redundant, and if the Raptors go out of their way to acquire Wiggins, it would surely mean Barrett's time in the Six runs thin.
Thinking about some of the other narratives to come out of a potential deal like this: what happens to Gradey Dick? He would surely move to the bench, which I suggested in the past could be a great move for his career.
The move isn't horrible per se, but it largely signals the Raptors as 'buyers' in a sense because Wiggins is more of a win-now type player than he helps the tank. If the Raptors plan on chasing the play-in, there are two other moves worth exploring too if that philosophy works in their best interest.
There are just a few short days remaining before the whirlwind of questions surrounding the Toronto Raptors becomes clearer.