With Recent Injuries, Aaron Wiggins Has a Chance to Step Up

Oklahoma City received bad news on Wednesday before facing off against the Nuggets. Head coach Mark Daigneault said he would be "surprised if Jalen Williams and Isaiah Joe played in the next couple of games," which limits the Thunder in a big way on the offensive end.

Williams and Joe suffered injuries against the Timberwolves, and the timetable for each player is currently unknown. Williams has been Oklahoma City's second best player all season long and the team's top scorer behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He's averaging 18.7 points per game. Joe has been the team's top outside threat, averaging 8.6 points on 42.4% from 3-point range.

Both players being out is a brutal blow to the Thunder's pre-All-Star break stretch. It also opens the door for other players to step up, though.

The biggest name to watch over the next five games is Aaron Wiggins, who has been strikingly efficient this season. He has received consistent minutes but usually plays under 20 minutes a night. That could change with the injuries, though.

Wednesday night's win over Denver marks just the second time Wiggins has played 25 minutes in a game this season. He's in the rotation, but still playing limited minutes despite how well he has performed.

On the season, he's averaging 13 minutes a game and adding 5.7 points and 2.3 rebounds. Wiggins is shooting an astonishing 60.2% from the floor and 55.6% from 3-point range. Per 36 minutes, he's averaging 15.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists. It feels like he can do no wrong on the court.

In the Thunder's first game without Williams and Joe, Wiggins faired well. He played 25 minutes off the bench and added 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting, grabbed four rebounds and buried two triples.

Wiggins is a solid defender, too, and at 6-foot-6, he can take on a handful of matchups. His versatility is certainly attractive to a Thunder team that values that attribute.

With two offensive focal points out of the lineup, Wiggins will be asked to step up. It could be the first time he has seen an uptick of consistent minutes all season, but there's no reason to think his production will fall off. He has answered the call every time he's been asked to step up.

With six games left until the All-Star break, his bench production could be crucial to the Thunder's seeding.