Heat will soon make an Andrew Wiggins realization that Warriors fans know well

When the Miami Heat made the Jimmy Butler trade, they went in a direction to solidify their defense. And elite two-way talent in Andrew Wiggins headlined that return. 

Additionally, Miami would go on to also receive Davion Mitchell, Kyle Anderson and a first-round draft pick as the rest of the compensation. However, Wiggins was the biggest part of the blockbuster, and fans should be excited about his potential. 

In the first two games of his Heat career, he has had to adjust on the fly into a new system. Unlike an established star with the caliber of Butler, Wiggins wasn’t ever viewed as a similar plug-and-play type of addition.

He has averaged just 12 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4 assists and two stocks on 29% shooting and 23% from deep in the pair of games he’s played in for Miami. 

Being that Wiggins is still 29 years old, a former NBA Champion and All-Star, it has to be safe to assume that he will start to get into a rhythm eventually. Even with his shooting efficiency taking an initial hit early on, the defensive skill set has already been shown in a small sample size with the Heat. 

Andrew Wiggins is ranked as a top-10 perimeter defender in the league.

Wiggins finds himself as the eighth best perimeter defender on this list. The guys ahead of him include the likes of Jaden McDaniels, Toumani Camara, Andrew Nembhard, Mitchell (also acquired by Miami), Luguentz Dort, Bilal Coulibaly and Dyson Daniels.

But there are even more eye popping stats that justify Wiggins reputation as a defender. He is also in the top-10 in both matchup difficulty and two-way usage, according to the advanced stats. 

The former Golden State Warriors stud was once the second best player on a championship team. He is right at the peak of his prime at 29 years old, and his 6-foot-7 with a 7-foot wingspan frame provide plenty of versatile length to the Heat’s depth chart.

He was drafted as the number one overall pick back in the 2014 draft for a reason. There is plenty of talent there with Wiggins. Although he has experienced some shooting struggles very early on into his Heat tenure, the defensive potential remains intriguing. 

Miami could use his wing skills to have him defend the opposing team’s best perimeter defender on a nightly basis. The team’s defense has taken a dip in recent years, but Wiggins’ addition should help coach Erik Spoelstra lean back into that established identity again.

The Warriors valued that part of his game to a championship-level caliber, and he has a 2022 ring to show for it. Wiggins could be a terrific frontcourt fit alongside Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware, who also possess similar type of two-way talent and athleticism. 

His eventual trade deadline acquisition always was one of the better options out there in unloading the disgruntled Butler. As the Heat continue this retooling era, Wiggins could align nicely with the core’s rising timeline. 

He has the experience and talent on both ends to help bolster Miami for years to come as the team approaches this new era.