Why Aaron Wiggins needs a bigger role in Thunder rotation

Which Teammates must share the court with Aaron Wiggins?

In summation, Aaron Wiggins is a lethal spot-up shooter and cutter who has the capability of defending across many different positions at a high level.

However, he doesn’t rebound or create well and offers little when it comes to off-the-dribble scoring. Given his strengths and weaknesses, there is a specific combination of Thunder teammates who should be sharing the court with Wiggins.

His offensive skill set can be described as complementary to on-ball creators, so playing at all times with either Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Jalen Williams is optimal and, in many cases, a must.

Furthermore, Wiggins’ elite outside shot is essentially useless if a player cannot get him the ball, so it’s a necessity that he has at least two passers on the court. Because of Wiggins’ weak rebounding, playing with Holmgren adds more value as well, though it’s less vital than playing next to playmakers. 

The grand conclusion when factoring in all of these realizations is that Wiggins needs to supplant Josh Giddey as the fifth starter and join Gilgeous-Alexander in playing the entire first quarter. It’s best for the team’s outlook because his skill set pairs perfectly with the stars.

If Daigneault makes this switch for the playoffs and throws a wrinkle at teams, then it could be the difference between a disappointing early exit or a long and succesful playoff run.