Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, or Buddy Hield—Who Can Step Up as Warriors’ 2nd Scoring Option?

The Warriors faced a huge loss this offseason when Klay Thompson decided to sign with the Mavericks. His departure has left the franchise asking a question they haven’t had to ponder for several years—who will be the 2nd scoring option? There are a few interesting candidates, with Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga being the clear favorites. However, it all would depend on what Steve Kerr decides.

With less than 3 weeks to the start of the 2024-25 NBA season, there are only 2 things that Steve Kerr has shared: Stephen Curry and Draymond Green will be starting and Steph will be playing at the 1. Last year we saw Kerr use 27 different starting lineups during the course of the season. At this point, it feels like we might see a repeat of the same.

Here are our top 3 candidates who can step up and take on scoring responsibilities.

1) Andrew Wiggins

Andrew Wiggins came into the NBA as a legit scoring threat. He averaged 16.9 points as a rookie while also showcasing his defensive prowess. His highest scoring season came in 2016-17 when he averaged 23.6 ppg.

Having played 5 seasons with the Warriors now, Wiggins is familiar with the system and knows what to expect on any given play. As a Warrior, his highest scoring average came during the 2019-20 season, when he averaged 19.4 points per game. He then proceeded to record his only All-Star campaign in 2021-22, where his scoring complemented his defense perfectly.

Although he wasn’t the second scoring option that year, he stepped up when the team needed him the most. Facing the Celtics in the 2022 Finals, Wiggins stepped up and became the 2nd scoring option when Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole struggled to knock their shots down. He averaged 18.3 points per game to go along with his 8.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks.

Wiggins hasn’t had the best two years since the championship, but there are several reasons behind it. Heading into the 2024-25 season, Kerr has a lot of expectations from Wiggs, and has made that abundantly clear. He wants the Warriors to be a high-volume 3-point shooting team and wants Wiggins to be a big part of his game plan.

Wiggins has shot 38.1% from 3s in his stint with the Warriors, averaging 4.9 attempts per game. With Klay gone and him being asked to hoist six-to-seven 3s a game, Wiggins’ numbers are set to jump up. It’s now up to Maple Jordan to seize the opportunity presented to him and reintroduce himself as a key player on the team.

2) Jonathan Kuminga

Entering his 4th season in the league, Jonathan Kuminga has a lot of expectations riding on him. Ever since Steve Kerr plugged JK into the starting lineup last year, his averages shot up. In the 28 games he came off the bench, Kuminga averaged 14.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists.

On the other hand, his average jumped up to 17.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 46 games as a starter. During that time, JK recorded an eight-game span where he averaged 20+ points while shooting over 50% from the field. Seeing the kind of production the 21-year-old provided them last year, the Warriors expectations have only grown further.

One of the weaker aspects of JK’s game has been his 3-point shooting. Over the course of the summer, Kuminga has spent a lot of time in the gym and worked on his distance shooting. With that added to his arsenal, JK should be able to elevate his scoring prowess easily.

In fact, he’s ready for the challenge. A few days ago, Kuminga was asked about becoming the 2nd scoring option alongside Steph and he seemed eager to step up.

“I see myself doing it. See myself helping and taking that load off Steph, but we got a lot of great players.”

Another motivation for Kuminga could be his pending contract. So far, it seems tough that the team and JK would be able to reach an extension by the 21 October deadline. Kuminga would have to go on out there, prove he’s worth the money he’s asking for, and then give the Warriors a chance to pay him, or move on to a team that will.

With Wiggins and Kuminga potentially fighting for the starting spot as a small forward, it seems like the 2nd option could be whoever Steve Kerr presents the start to. However, there might just be a third contender in the form of Buddy Hield.

3) Buddy Hield

Last year, Brandin Podziemski took over the starting spot from Klay Thompson. It was partially due to Klay struggling to find his shot, and partially because of Podz’s skills. However, this year, there is another contender for the starting shooting guard spot – Buddy Hield.

Hield is a proven 3-point shooter and an efficient scorer, averaging a career 40% from the 3-point range. He has the highest number of 3-pointers made since the start of the 2019-20 season, having knocked down 1,322 3-pointers. This is an incredible feat, considering the fact that his minutes haven’t been stable since the 2021-22 season.

Apart from being a solid 3-point shooter, Hield also has the ability to put his head down and drive to the basket. He can generate his own offense, while also creating chances for others. His strongest scoring season came with the Kings when he averaged 20.7 points per game.

If Hield gets the starting 2-guard spot, he would be able to provide spacing on the floor and be a shooter that the team can rely on. Hield averaged 6.7 attempts per game, despite just spending 25.7 minutes on the court. If he gets more minutes and plays along with someone like Stephen Curry, the chances Hield would get would be beneficial for both him and the team. Hield could likely bring the kind of scoring and shooting Klay did, which would be perfect for Kerr and his system.

At the end of the day, who will take charge as the 2nd scoring option might end up being decided by the starting lineup Steve Kerr comes up with. Sadly, we might have to wait a little longer. With Andrew Wiggins out sick, Kerr might not be able to test out his rotations in the preseason just yet.