In this continuing series, Thunder Wire assigns three goals to each of the 21 players, per Spotrac, that make up the Oklahoma City Thunder roster.
The Thunder’s season kicks off on Oct. 25 against the Chicago Bulls. After a surprising 40-42 campaign that ended a win shy of the playoffs, OKC enters this year with playoff aspirations.
Buy Thunder TicketsLet’s assign three goals for Aaron Wiggins. After being a late second-round draft pick in 2021, he’s played himself into being a rotation player over the last two seasons. The 24-year-old will likely see a similar role this upcoming season as a backup wing.
With plenty of new additions, Wiggins will once again have to fight for consistent playing time.
Stay in the rotation
An under-the-radar storyline last season was the inconsistent playing time Wiggins received despite strong fan support. His playing time game logs are a pretty erratic read as he either played 20-plus minutes off the bench or single-digit minutes or was a DNP.
By the end of the season, that changed as Wiggins became a consistent part of the rotation. Entering his third season, he hopes that he’s graduated as a permanent addition to OKC’s rotation.
Be a team player
On the flip side, if Wiggins experiences another season like he had last year where his playing time was inconsistent, then it’ll be important for him to keep the same mindset he had.
The best way to prolong his NBA career is to be a team-first player and understand getting inconsistent playing time can be part of the job as a backup wing. Locker room chemistry is important and it seems like he aces that with ease on the Thunder.
When asked about his role, Wiggins always put the team first and his individuality second. This is the perfect mindset to have that can help build your resume up around the league as a team-first guy who’s willing to do whatever is asked of him.
These intangibles can be the difference between Wiggins playing overseas or enjoying a decade-plus career as a journeyman bench wing.
Gain momentum on second contract
Wiggins is entering his third season, which means his rookie deal is set to expire soon. He is under contract for $2 million on a team option for the 2024-25 season, but after that, he’ll be a free agent.
Considering he was the No. 55 pick of the draft, Wiggins has been a best-case scenario at that draft slot. If he continues to play at a similar level he’s shown over his first two seasons, then there’s definitely a place in the NBA for him — whether in OKC or elsewhere.
