Recent Performance from Wiggins Shows Why he Deserves More Minutes for OKC

Fourth-year guard Aaron Wiggins recently saw a large decrease in playing time for the OKC Thunder. In his last six appearances, he averaged just under 14 minutes per game -- down from when he averaged 20 which resulted in a dip in overall production. Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault made it a clear emphasis to give Wiggins more run against the Orlando Magic, which would eventually pay off.

Against the Magic, Wiggins logged 31 minutes and recorded 11 points, two rebounds and steals and a block. It was a versatile performance for Wiggins, which isn't anything new for him. Wiggins was 3-for-7 from the field and 2-for-3 from the perimeter, making the second-most triples for OKC. He also finished with the highest plus-minus rating at plus-15 for the Thunder, displaying the impact he can make while on the court.

On multiple occasions, Wiggins has been a reliable bench option for the Thunder. He has seen his minutes fluctuate all season, but nothing like what recently happened. Despite that, he stays ready to play and execute when called upon.

“Just trying to make plays,” Wiggins said. “Be a part of the team, play to our standards and go out there and do what I can to help the team win.”

Wiggins didn't fall out of the Thunder rotation because he was playing poorly. He consistently scored around 10 points per game up until his minutes were cut, and he did so, for the most part, efficiently. Wiggin's lack of playing time over the recent stretch of games was a little puzzling, but Daigneault attributed it to nothing but his own coaching decisions.

So far this season, Wiggins is averaging 8.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game on 45.1% shooting efficiency. He's proven he can keep up with the defensive intensity while also recording steals and blocks. Wiggins does just about everything he can to contribute to the Thunder off the bench, making the decision to move him toward the back of the bench even more interesting.

There aren't necessarily any trade rumors surrounding Wiggins, but his recent decrease in minutes raises a question about the future with this team. Wiggins is a consistent contributor each night, and if OKC were to retain him, they would get it. Any sort of return on Wiggins would be unlikely to match his fit on the team, so moving him elsewhere doesn't make the most sense. He's one of the bigger depth wings that OKC has, which adds to the list of benefits of having Wiggins.

If Wiggins' performance against Orlando showed anything, it's that he deserves more minutes. Daigneault has so much guard depth and one player is bound to see less time than the other -- Wiggins just happened to be on the negative side of that coaching decision. Monitoring his playing time moving ahead, especially another all-around stat line, will also be interesting.

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