Warriors' Andrew Wiggins Dishes on Critics and 'Real Ballers' After Wolves Trade

A fresh start with the Golden State Warriors is a new opportunity for Andrew Wiggins, though the former No. 1 overall pick doesn't feel the need to justify himself to critics of his game. 

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Wiggins said he respects the opinions of "real ballers" and isn't concerned about what anyone else has to say:

Wiggins has been the subject of criticism for most of his six-year NBA career. His four-year, $147.7 million contract was ranked as the fifth-worst in the league last April by Ryan Phillips of The Big Lead: 

"He hit career-highs in points per game (23.6) and PER (16.62) in 2016-17 to earn that contract. It's been all downhill from there. This season Wiggins is averaging 17.9 points per game, shooting a career-low 40.5 percent from the field and just 33.1 percent from 3-point range. His PER (12.19) and true shooting percentage (48.7) are also at career-lows."

The counting stats look better for Wiggins this season. He's averaging 22.4 points per game and shooting 44.7 percent overall, but he remains a liability on defense. The 24-year-old ranks 424th out of 489 qualified players in ESPN's defensive real plus-minus (-1.41). 

Golden State added Wiggins, a top-three-protected first-round pick and a second-round pick in exchange for D'Angelo Russell, Jacob Evans and Omari Spellman. 

If Wiggins can continue to put up solid offensive numbers and turn into even a mediocre defender, the Warriors will likely be happy with how he fits into their system, as he doesn't have to be the best player on a team that will eventually have Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green when everyone is healthy.