The Miami Heat acquired Andrew Wiggins at the trade deadline in the deal that sent Jimmy Butler away from South Beach and to the Bay Area. Wiggins, who is just 30 years old, is now in the rumor mill again for a possible new home. Should the Heat deal Wiggins as the team aims to get younger and create more cap space in next year’s free agency market?

Wiggins came over to Miami and only played in 17 games with the Heat. Wiggins averaged 19 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.2 SPG, with 45.8% shooting and 36% from 3-point range. He had flashes of brilliance, including his second-best scoring outing of his career with 42 points in a win against the Charlotte Hornets. Granted, it was the Hornets, but Wiggins showed what he could do on any given night and contribute to a team.

Wiggins, as an NBA Champion and All-Star back in Golden State’s 2022 Finals run, would be a solid addition for any team in need of a wing, especially a team that still needs a couple of puzzle pieces.

The Miami Heat acquired Norman Powell this past week, giving them another option next to Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo. So that begs the question if these recent moves have tempted the Heat to move Wiggins.

WHY IT MAKES SENSE

Getting Younger

Andrew Wiggins is only 30, so that isn’t considered old, but the Heat are reportedly trending younger. Wiggins is one of three players on the roster over the age of 30 (Terry Rozier, Norman Powell). Rozier is also on the block if the Heat can dump him to another squad, while Powell is under a one-year deal right now and was acquired by dumping Kyle Anderson and Kevin Love, both older veterans as well.

The Heat want this team to look as appealing as possible to pending free agents in 2026. Having a younger core to build around a star, or to acquire assets in a potential trade for some of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s caliber, is where Miami’s focus could be right now. There are rumors Miami is interested in the Lakers’ Dalton Knecht, but we’ll come back to that.

Acquiring Picks

The Oklahoma City Thunder built a championship by acquiring as many draft picks as they could and choosing wisely. It’s not a BOGO league anymore where teams rush to free agency to win a championship. The last three champions (Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics, and Thunder) are all teams who were primarily homegrown and developed in the draft. If you don’t see a young player you like already in the NBA, the Heat could prioritize draft picks.

Can The Miami Heat Compete

Miami is in an interesting situation. The Heat acquired Norman Powell in a trade to give the team a fighting chance, while the Eastern Conference is devastated by injuries with Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum already out for next season. The Milwaukee Bucks are having drama surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Cleveland Cavaliers are unproven in the postseason, while the upstart Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic are intriguing young teams but time will tell if the talent will come together on the court.

But when you begin looking at what Miami has been the last few years, they have lived in the play-in tournament, hovering around the 7-10th best team in the conference. Jimmy Butler elevated the Heat from a play-in team to the NBA Finals, but what fire do the Heat have lit beneath them right now? If you don’t see this team competing, why not try to trade more alluring pieces to a potential contender to build for the future?

WHY IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE

It Leaves A Hole At SF

The Heat might play a combination of Davion Mitchell, Tyler Herro, and Norman Powell, or even start the trio together. Powell is listed at 6’4″ and would be a very small wing player. Powell is lengthy, but we don’t know how he’ll do playing next to Tyler Herro. Miami has Jaime Jaquez, Jr., and potentially Haywood Highsmith, they could play at SF instead, but both of those names have also been involved in trade rumors. If the Heat moves off Wiggins, the Heat could look very mismatched.

Current Contract Status

Wiggins is owed $28.2 million this upcoming season and has a $30.2 million player option for next year. The bigger the contract, the harder it is to move players. Wiggins would need to go to a team that has cap space after the transaction or help both sides by restructuring his contract. We’re not unfamiliar with players with larger contracts being dealt, but it’s a lot easier when teams know that the player will make an immediate impact.

Holding Out for a Bigger Deal

If you’re in the market for a new item, some people are naturally hesitant because they believe a better deal will come along. Could Wiggins be a bargaining chip who helps the Heat secure one of the bigger stars? The Suns were interested in Wiggins when the Heat were talking about acquiring Kevin Durant, so maybe Wiggins is a piece that teams would value and make it easier to move off one of their disgruntled stars.

WHO COULD GO FOR WIGGINS

LOS ANGELES LAKERS

The big rumor mill is that the Lakers are interested in Andrew Wiggins. The Heat could likely acquire Dalton Knecht and maybe a pick, so it would be the best of both worlds when acquiring youth and picks, while clearing the cap that Wiggins takes up. If the Heat convince the Lakers into making that deal, it could be a steal. Knecht was originally traded for Mark Williams last year, but the trade was rescinded and it was awkward for Knecht to return to the team that traded the rookie. The Lakers have two disgruntled players, LeBron James and Dalton Knecht, so they will be making decisions in due time that impact the rest of the NBA.

PHOENIX SUNS

The Suns were interested in Andrew Wiggins before the Kevin Durant trade to Houston. Like the Lakers, the Suns have another disgruntled star they’re likely to move on from, Bradley Beal. I could see the Heat getting involved in a 3-way deal that sends Beal to another team, Wiggins to the Suns, and the Heat receives draft picks and one-year rentals in return.

SAN ANTONIO SPURS

One team that isn’t being mentioned in circles, yet, is the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs are very young for wing players with Devin Vassell (24), Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle (20), and second-overall pick Dylan Harper (19). The Spurs have veteran Harrison Barnes, who didn’t play directly with Wiggins, but played in the same Golden State Warriors system. At 34-48 last year in the Western Conference, San Antonio wants to capitalize on drafting Victor Wembanyama and trading for De’Aaron Fox. This Spurs team needs another piece or two to make the leap, so acquiring Andrew Wiggins as your third or fourth-scoring option and a veteran presence to coach younger guys would be a major deal for San Antonio.

So, what is your take on the Andrew Wiggins situation? Should the Heat trade Wiggins away now? Where could you see him landing? Let us know in the comment section below.