Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr says guard Chris Paul (leg) and forward Andrew Wiggins (finger) are both probable for Wednesday against the Portland Trail Blazers after participating in practice and scrimmage on Tuesday. Paul and Wiggins needed to grab a seat for the Dubs' past two games. Paul left Nov. 28's matchup after five minutes of play with a contusion to his lower left leg, but the Hall of Fame floor general would return to averages of 8.9 points, 7.3 dimes, 1.5 swipes, and 1.3 threes on Wednesday. 2023 first-round pick Brandin Podziemski would be the biggest fantasy loser here. The struggling Wiggins slammed his car door on his right index finger last Thursday after a 29-point, 10-rebound double-double his last time out, and he'll look to pick up where he left off against L.A. On the heels of a season-high 21 points on Saturday, Moses Moody wouldn't be a recommended streamer in Wiggins' return.

Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins (finger) could return to the lineup soon, possibly as early as Wednesday night against the Portland Trail Blazers. The 28-year-old has missed his last two games after slamming his right index finger in a car door. The Warriors would love to see him back in the lineup as soon as possible, considering the team has struggled since starting the season with a 5-1 record. But Wiggins has also had his share of underwhelming performances throughout the 2023-24 campaign, and he's currently averaging a career-low 12.8 points per game. That said, the 2014 No. 1 overall pick could things around soon, so fantasy managers should hang in there for now.

Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins (finger) is questionable for Saturday's rematch with the Clippers. He was ruled out for Thursday's meeting with Los Angeles due to right finger soreness. But considering he has a shot of playing, it suggests the injury isn't severe. In any event, if Wiggins misses another contest, Moses Moody, who had 13 points on Thursday night, could remain in the starting lineup.

Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins (finger) has been ruled out for Thursday's game versus the Los Angeles Clippers due to right finger soreness. It's a tough break for Wiggins and fantasy managers who re-added him off waiver wires, after Wiggins tallied the first double-double of his difficult year with 29 points and 10 rebounds on Tuesday against the Sacramento Kings. The 28-year-old former All-Star's struggles have been well-documented this season, ranking outside the top 300 in category fantasy leagues due to poor free-throw shooting and a lack of defensive stats on averages of 12.8 points, 4.4 boards, and 0.9 threes in 27.2 minutes over 18 starting appearances. Wiggins aims to suit up again for Saturday's road rematch with the Clippers. Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and Brandin Podziemski are all set for bigger roles on Thursday against L.A.

It's funny that every year at the NBA Draft, once the end of the guaranteed money and live appearances arrives at the end of the first round, everybody tunes out and refers to the 60th pick as "Mr. Irrelevant." That's not very accurate though, is it?Speaking historically, the title of "Mr. Irrelevant" could just as easily be applied to each pick in the draft, as organizations differ greatly in their evaluation of talent and their own needs, particularly in a year without the NCAA tournament. The nickname just doesn't reflect how basketball works anymore. Executives strategically stockpile second-round draft picks for the less burdensome financial obligations, and organizations in rebuilding mode get super creative to field a respectable team on a budget.Particularly in the NBA where worldwide talent is plentiful and positional lines continue to fade, the opportunity is everything: in the right situation, the right under-the-radar player can make an immediate, poignant statement. With professional development leagues for 16-18-year-olds, an ever-expanding set of domestic/international opportunities due to the sheer growth of basketball, and widespread NIL rights for college athletes, players of all levels and localities are starting to get their due exposure and now have enough freedom to hone their skills in a place, and at a pace, that fits best with their path to the NBA. 

Introduction

I am inherently skeptical and distrusting of scouting from the high school level to pre-Draft. That's why in this annual article, I tend to favor overlooked college players (love the mid-majors/non-power conferences) with either well-rounded, polished games or specific statistical specialties.We are going to discuss a handful of 2023 second-round picks and undrafted free agent signees who, given their individual skillsets and circumstances, warrant the attention of Fantasy Basketball Managers as potential high-impact rookies for the 2023-24 campaign who can quietly be acquired on clearance once they start showing signs of emergence.As I will frequently emphasize and reiterate: in 2023, there is very little difference between the vast majority of second-round draft picks and undrafted free agents--it always all comes down to the skillsets they possess, their capacity for growth, and the situations they've landed in.Seasons will be made and broken with early identification of the diamond-in-the-rough rookies. I used to list out the many examples from the past season in this introduction portion, but we are now in a beautiful era where there are just too many to count. There is also very little separating the featured players below and those dubbed "Honorable Mentions"--so put in the work and keep an eye out throughout the regular season for who is receiving and seizing their opportunities. 

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Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins aspires to do big things this season. "I would love to be an All-Star," Wiggins declared during a recent interview. "I would love to be on the All-Defensive team." The 28-year-old played in only 37 games last season for various reasons, averaging 17.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.2 steals. He also shot 39.6% from behind the arc, a career-high. Wiggins' optimism heading into the 2023-24 campaign is refreshing. However, the 2014 No. 1 overall pick has a lot of work to do if he hopes to become known for his abilities on the defensive end. But Wiggins is healthy after battling a rib injury last season, and if he can continue to produce the way he has in previous years, fantasy managers can't ask for much more.

Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins (rib) is considered questionable for Friday's Game 6 versus the Los Angeles Lakers. He suffered a fracture in his rib cage, but the severity of the injury is unknown right now. It'll be interesting to see what the Warriors decide to do, assuming Wiggins does sit. Kevon Looney could move back into the starting five, which would give them increased rebounding. Also, Jordan Poole could start, but he has struggled lately. Donte DiVincenzo is a candidate for more minutes as well, so it remains to be seen what head coach Steve Kerr decides to do. Ultimately, the Warriors could use a committee approach to try and fill the void of Wiggins. Fantasy managers will have to check back on Friday for another update on his status.

Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins was the lone bright spot in Saturday's blowout loss to the Lakers, scoring 16 points on 6-for-11 shooting and registering a team-high nine rebounds with four assists and one block. The team struggled to produce offense, but it was not the case with Wiggins, who even shot a very good 2-for-4 from downtown. Three-point shooting has been a problem for Wiggins since he returned to the lineup for the playoffs, but he's now hit half of his attempts in back-to-back outings, which should give him confidence for the upcoming games. The 28-year-old is averaging 16.9 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks for the playoffs.

Golden State Warriors guards Andrew Wiggins (shoulder) and Jordan Poole (ankle) are both available for Thursday's Game 3 against the Sacramento Kings. Both players were uncertain to suit up coming into this game, but will give it a go here. That is good news for the Warriors with Draymond Green suspended for this contest. Wiggins should resume his normal role in the starting five, while Poole is likely to come off the bench. However, Poole might move into the starting unit with Green out.

Golden State Warriors guard Andrew Wiggins (shoulder) is listed as questionable for Thursday's Game 3 against the Sacramento Kings. It's worth noting that Wiggins has played in each of the last two games despite dealing with the shoulder issue. He finished with 22 points and five rebounds in 39 minutes of action in Game 2. His absence would free up quite a bit of playing time for Donte DiVincenzo. He could be worth a look in DFS contests if Wiggins is unable to play. Fantasy managers will have to check back on Thursday for another update on his status.

Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins will move back into the starting lineup for Monday's game against the Sacramento Kings. Wiggins recently returning from a lengthy personal absence and came off the bench in Game One. Wiggins will now replace Donte DiVincenzo in the starting lineup as the Warriors feel he is back to speed. Wiggins recorded 17 points in 28 minutes off the bench on Saturday.

Golden State Warriors guard Andrew Wiggins (personal) will be available for Saturday's playoff matchup against the Sacramento Kings. This is great news after Wiggins missed over 20 games due to personal reasons. That being said, Wiggins is only expected to play 20-25 minutes in his first game back. It's not shocking that he'll have a limited role in his first game since February 13. The expectation is that Wiggins will work his way back into the starting lineup once he gets back to full speed.

Golden State Warriors guard Andrew Wiggins (personal) continues to work his way back into game shape. The 28-year-old missed over 20 games due to personal reasons. Head coach Steve Kerr recently mentioned that Wiggins looked good during scrimmages. It seems like all signs are pointing to Wiggins being available for Game 1 against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. He hasn't played since mid-February, so his return would be a significant boost to the Warriors rotation.

Golden State Warriors guard Andrew Wiggins (personal) is expected to be back with the team early this week. That is great news as Wiggins has missed the last 21 games due to personal reasons. His return would be a welcoming sight for the Warriors with the playoffs quickly approaching. It might take some time for Wiggins to get back into game shape. However, the 28-year-old should be ready in time for the postseason. His return would likely mean a decrease in minutes for Donte DiVincenzo and Jonathan Kuminga.

Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins (personal) remains out Tuesday versus the Oklahoma City Thunder. Wiggins will miss his ninth straight game due to personal reasons and with no information to go off of, he should be viewed as out for the foreseeable future. Donte DiVincenzo and Jonathan Kuminga should continue to see increased roles without Wiggins in the lineup. With fantasy playoffs on the line, it's hard to justify keeping Wiggins on your roster unless you have an IR spot open.

Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins (personal) will miss Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers. The 28-year-old has been unavailable for the last seven games because of a personal matter. Head coach Steve Kerr couldn't answer how much longer Wiggins would remain out. But until he is ready to make it back, Jonathan Kuminga will continue to be a hit-or-miss fantasy option. However, with Stephen Curry (leg) expected to return on Sunday, Kuminga's ceiling is much lower than before.

Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins (personal) is out for Sunday's meeting with Minnesota. The 28-year-old is tending to a private matter, so he'll now miss his fourth consecutive contest. Head coach Steve Kerr didn't reveal when Wiggins will return. However, until that happens, Donte DiVincenzo, who had 15 points and shot 5-for-9 from deep on Friday versus the Houston Rockets, should remain in the starting lineup.

Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins (personal) has no timetable to return with the organization. The 28-year-old has already been ruled out for Thursday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers. This marks his second absence in a row and could very well miss more time due to personal reasons. In the meantime, Donte DiVincenzo should be asked to pick up the slack. He'll be worth rostering in most fantasy formats while Wiggins is away from the team.

Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins (personal) will not play Thursday against the Los Angeles Lakers. This comes as no surprise as Wiggins remains away from the team due to some personal reasons. The Warriors started Donte DiVincenzo the last game Wiggins missed and will likely do so again on Thursday. Jonathan Kuminga is also slated to get some additional minutes.

Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins (personal) did not participate in practice on Tuesday as he continues to tend to personal matters. As of right now, it looks like he won't be playing in their first game back from the All-Star break on Thursday. He was unable to play in their last contest due to the same reason. While he remains sidelined, Donte DiVincenzo and Jonathan Kuminga should see more opportunities while the former would be the safer streaming option.