The dawn of NBA trade season comes at a strange time for the Miami Heat. While they have generally impressed to this point, they haven't dominated to the point of drowning out superstar-trade talks. Reincorporating Tyler Herro has been a struggle. And while the franchise is committed to sophomore center Kel'el Ware, he arguably remains the most polarizing player on the roster.
It feels, then, like the Heat could go any number of different directions between now and the Feb. 5 trade deadline. As Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported, Miami's options include trading away Andrew Wiggins "in the proverbial right deal." While it's hard to say exactly how the right deal would look for the Heat, it's obvious that Wiggins' introduction to the trade market would generate quite a splash in the basketball world.
The Heat could get legitimate assets (or upgrades) in an Andrew Wiggins trade.
When Wiggins arrived at last season's deadline as part of the five-time trade that shipped out Jimmy Butler, his future with the franchise always felt less than guaranteed. While the Heat clearly like what Wiggins brings—he's been a full-time starter from the moment of his arrival and routinely ranks among their minutes leaders—do they like him enough to be fully comfortable with his $28.2 million salary? How would they feel if he wanted to pick up his $30.2 million player option for next season? And if declined that option, would they make an aggressive attempt to keep him?
Those questions have never been clear. What is, though, Wiggins holding significant value around the Association.
Draft a list of every team with a win-now intentions, fire a dart at it, and you'll wind up hitting a team that could use another two-way wing on the roster. Every team is hoping to find what Wiggins adds: versatile defense, steady (sometimes incendiary) support scoring, and a three-point shot that has found its mark 38 percent of the time since the start of the 2020-21 campaign.
Need a point-of-attack defender? He can pester guards. Need someone to throw at big-wing scorers? He's a 6'6" swingman with a 7'0" wingspan and spring-loaded athleticism. Need a defensive playmaker? You're talking about one of the league's 14 players averaging at least one block and one steal.
He can pack a potent scoring punch from all three levels. He'll make the extra pass when it's open. And while he isn't always a factor on the glass, he'll control it once in a while.
He is, in a lot of ways, the perfect kind of role player. He rarely moves the needle on his own, but he can absolutely prop up others who can. And that archetype is invaluable for any shopper that thinks it's just one support piece away.
Miami shouldn't have that mentality. If the Heat are ever going to level up to title contention, they'll need to reel in a whale to do it. And while there are different ways for Miami to build a trade package capable of bringing in a star, most of the realistic ones involve Wiggins going out.
Don't be surprised, then, if he winds up playing a prominent role this trade season—regardless which direction the Heat decide to go.