Minnesota Timberwolves swingman Andrew Wiggins is sitting out international competition for a third straight summer, but it's not because of a petty beef.
Canadian basketball head coach Jay Triano shot down recent reports of a disagreement with Wiggins, and explained that he and Wiggins have been in contact throughout the year.
"We've talked when Minnesota has played either Phoenix or the Portland Trail Blazers where I've coached. We are in constant communication throughout the NBA year like that. So unless there is something that, you know, somebody is making up, or it's coming from Andrew's side, there are no issues at all," Triano explained to Arash Madani.
A report from late-May suggested that Wiggins had a "strained relationship" with Triano stemming from a coaching decision during the FIBA Americas tournament in 2015. Wiggins was benched during a key stretch in the fourth quarter in a devastating loss to Venezuela that cost the Canadians a chance to compete in the 2016 Olympics.
Triano totoally dismissed the benching as a factor in his relationship with Wiggins.
"I mean, people want to talk about that game. He sat out for 38 seconds in the fourth quarter. It seems to be blown out of proportion. That was a defensive possession. So I think there is a lot of - there is a lot more fuel than there is actual substance to it. There are really not a whole lot of major issues there," Triano said.