There have been multiple players on this Oklahoma City Thunder squad who have taken advantage of the widespread injury-induced absences. One player who hasn't, and has actually seen his play taper off, is veteran wing Aaron Wiggins.
The fifth-year pro has been a liability on both ends of the court. With the profound play of other Thunder role players and the inevitable return of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Ajay Mitchell, and Jalen Williams, Wiggins could see himself with limited, if any, minutes in the late-season stretch.
Recent Aaron Wiggins struggles shouldn't come as a surprise to Thunder
As important as he has been in past seasons and even earlier this season, Wiggins' playstyle makes him prone to becoming ineffective.
In his last six games, he's only reached double-digits once, shooting just 35.3 percent from the field and 17.6 percent from three along the way.
This is a very disappointing production stretch considering his season average is 10.3 points on an efficient 37.7 percent from beyond the arc.
Unfortunately, the reality is that Wiggins' shot diet always leaves these stretches as a possibility, as he takes countless heavily contested shots while relying on himself to create those looks.
On the less glamorous side of the ball, he has also been an incredibly lackluster participant.
Earlier in the season, he truly stepped up his perimeter defense, playing with intensity and physicality while being very alert in the passing lanes.
Lately, much of that has gone away, and he has gone back to being a below-average wing defender.
Will the Thunder take him out of the lineup?
The advanced analytics haven't supported Wiggins' play all season. He has the lowest NET rating in the core at minus-6.9. In his stretch when he's struggled, OKC has gone 5-1, but he has still only had a plus/minus of plus-2.3 per game.
In seasons past, no role player has truly set themselves apart from the pack, but with the exceptional play of Isaiah Joe and the recent breakout of Cason Wallace, a clear hierarchy is forming, with Wiggins near the bottom.
Even though Wiggins is one of only the true wing players on the team, they have had a lot of success with three-guard, two-big lineups. With this, it could leave Jalen Williams (once he gets back to full strength) as the only wing to see substantial minutes in the future.
There is still plenty of time for Wiggins to solidify himself in the lineup with the team still not fully healthy, but if his cold streak continues, minutes may start to vanish rapidly.