There's one Andrew Wiggins nightmare scenario that the Miami Heat must attempt to avoid at all costs. It revolves around the idea of giving him a contract extension. Already eligible for a new contract, the honest truth is that they must avoid giving him a massive long-term deal that would eliminate all flexibility for the Heat moving forward.
As much as they may not want to admit it, the Heat are very much in a retooling phase of their roster. And the odds are that Wiggins probably is not going to be a huge part of the team's future.
Even though Wiggins is still a good player at this point in his career, he is what he is at this juncture. And, more often than not, it's a player that leaves a bit to be desired.
Andrew Wiggins is fully formed
Since breaking into the league as a former No. 1 overall pick (2014 NBA Draft), Wiggins has never truly reached his ceiling as a prospect. That doesn't mean Wiggins is - or was - a bust. It's just that he's left some meat on the bone of his career.
Even at the age of 30, Wiggins continues to be quite the inconsistent player. That much was evident after his mid-season trade to the Heat. During the month of March, Wiggins was arguably the team's second-best player on the roster. In the playoffs, though, Wiggins was borderline unplayable down the stretch.
It's that type of season arc that makes relying on Wiggins increasingly frustrating. While Wiggins could play a vital role for a championship contender, the Heat aren't necessarily at that point in their new build.
That's another reason why it would be somewhat foolish for the Heat to jump to sign Wiggins to a premature contract extension.
Wiggins could be a prime trade deadline target
With a player option for the 2026-27 season, there's a chance that Wiggins could emerge as an in-demand trade target ahead of the 2026 NBA Trade Deadline. At this point, that's what the Heat have to be hoping for.
If Miami could continue to tear down its roster, in search of added financial flexibility, while also adding a first-round pick, it would be a huge win for the front office. Of course, that'd mean they'd hold off on the lure to sign Wiggins to an extension, which is far from a guarantee.
If the Heat are truly retooling with an eye on landing a star in the next couple of seasons, they can’t afford to fall into the nightmare scenario that results in locking themselves into a massive Wiggins extension.