Warriors hope Wiggins will return soon

Warriors coach Steve Kerr remains hopeful that Andrew Wiggins will return this season, after the veteran forward missed his 20th straight game because of a family matter.

Wiggins has been working out on his own every day, but when and if he returns to the defending champions, the training and medical staffs would need to evaluate his fitness and how much he might be able to contribute, and how soon.

“There’s hope. But it’s, I guess, indefinite … we don’t know,” Kerr said.

No details about what Wiggins is dealing with have been made public. He hasn’t played since Feb. 13 against the Wizards and missed his 40th game overall Tuesday against New Orleans, having been sidelined for three with left foot soreness, 10 because of a strained adductor in his right thigh, and seven games with a non-COVID illness.

Teammate Stephen Curry said the Warriors are giving Wiggins the space he needs.

“We’d love to have him and hope that that does happen, because we want to be whole and I’m sure he wants to be a part of this,” Curry said after a 120-109 victory over New Orleans. “But when he walks in the door, it’ll be when it’s the right time for him. That’s kind of the expectation at this point.”

The 28-year-old Wiggins signed a four-year contract extension last October. He is averaging 17.1 points, five rebounds and 2.3 assists in 37 games this season.