Former KU guard Wiggins agrees to lucrative extension with NBA’s Golden State Warriors

Former University of Kansas men’s basketball shooting guard Andrew Wiggins has agreed to a multi-year contract extension with the Golden State Warriors, the NBA team announced Saturday.

Details of the agreement were not announced. However, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the extension will be for four years, $109 million. Wiggins is now under contract with Golden State for five years, $143 million. There is a player option in the final year of Wiggins’ deal, ESPN reported.

Wiggins, 27, was acquired by Golden State in a trade with Minnesota during February of 2020.

Wiggins — he was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft after his one-and-done college season at KU — averaged 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists for 2022 NBA champion Golden State during the NBA playoffs. During the regular season, Wiggins, an All-Star for the first time and a starter in the game, averaged 17.2 points and 3.3 rebounds. He also shot a career-best 39.3% on three-pointers.

“Andrew has been a terrific fit for our team since his arrival in the Bay Area almost three years ago,” Bob Myers, Warriors president of basketball operations/general manager said in a release. “His first-ever championship last season earned him the admiration of many around the league and solidified his stature as an impactful two-way player in the NBA. We’re excited that he’ll be a part of our team for the next several years.”

Wiggins spent his first five-plus seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he earned 2014-15 NBA Rookie of the Year honors.

“WIggins is set to pocket $33.6 million in 2022-23, but once his new deal kicks in, his salary will come down to roughly $27.6 million per year,” wrote Paolo Songco of clutchpoints.com. “Age is a major factor here, considering how Wiggins is going to be 33 during the final season of his new contract.

Marcus Garrett waived by Heat again

Former Kansas guard Marcus Garrett, who signed a two-way contract with the NBA’s Miami Heat on July 16, has been waived, the Heat announced Thursday.

Garrett appeared in four preseason games (one start) with Miami. He averaged 3.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 18.4 minutes per game.

Garrett recently suffered a fractured scaphoid bone in his right wrist and is to be in a cast for four weeks, then re-evaluated, Ira Winderman of South Florida Sun Sentinel reported.

Garrett also was waived from his original two-way contract with the Heat last January when he had wrist surgery. The team allowed Garrett to rehabilitate his injury with the Heat medical staff and trainers the rest of the 2021-22 season. Once healed he signed his most recent two-way deal in July after playing well for the Heat during 2022 summer league.

Garrett, 23, reportedly again will remain in Miami and use the Heat facilities for rehabilitating from his injury. There’s a chance he could sign with Miami a third time if all goes well in his rehab process.

“You really do feel for him,” coach Erik Spoelstra said Monday as reported by the Sun Sentinel. “He’s had such a tremendous summer. He’s really been diligent with first of all getting his wrist healthy and then preparing him for summer league. He had some great moments, and then August and September have just been outstanding.

“We’ll take care of that with him and get him healthy,” Spoelstra added of Garrett’s latest injury. “This is the journey for young players sometimes. Sometimes you just can’t predict it. Sometimes it doesn’t go how you want it to. But he has that perseverance and grit to get healthy and get back at it.”

Garrett was not selected in the 2021 NBA Draft following his four-year career at KU.