Warriors Should Move Andrew Wiggins Before NBA Trade Deadline amid Latest Rumors

It could be time for the Golden State Warriors to shake up their roster a bit. They're 22-25 and sitting in 12th in the Western Conference, so if the 2023-24 NBA season ended today, they wouldn't even be in the play-in tournament.

Fortunately for Golden State, the season isn't over today. And not only that, but the NBA trade deadline isn't until 3 p.m. ET on Thursday, so the Warriors have time to make a move or two to try to produce better results the rest of the way.

There have been rumors surrounding plenty of NBA players of late as the deadline nears. That group includes Golden State forward Andrew Wiggins, who is in his fifth season with the team.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Wiggins is garnering interest from both the Dallas Mavericks and Indiana Pacers, who have expressed a desire to trade for the 28-year-old. However, Charania noted on FanDuel TV's Run It Back that a deal isn't a sure thing.

"I don't think they're going to move guys just to move guys," Charania said of Golden State. "I think the Warriors need true reasons if they're going to trade."

They could get those reasons, though, and it may be in their best interest to move Wiggins.

Even though Wiggins' numbers are down a bit this season, he's still a solid forward. In 42 games, he's averaging 12.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per contest while shooting 43.7 percent from the field.

Either Dallas or Indiana could make an enticing trade offer for Wiggins. And it's even possible one of those two teams might be willing to part with players in a move, rather than only draft capital.

Golden State could deal Wiggins (giving him a fresh start) and improve its roster for both the short- and long-term futures. It makes sense to try, as the Warriors haven't been able to get on a roll much over the past few weeks.

Charania also reported that Golden State owner Joe Lacob hasn't instructed the team to shed salary. So the Warriors can still be thinking about this season with any moves they make between now and Thursday.

It's not a necessity that Golden State trades Wiggins. It can win games with him in the lineup, especially when he's at his best (as shown in the past).

But it makes sense for the Warriors to hear out trade offers and see if there's a way they can boost their playoff odds with a deal. A small shake-up could be just what they need.