Advertisement - scroll for more content
Not proactively trading Jimmy Butler before last season. A team source insists that there was no indication that Miami could have received more than one first-round pick — or a superior package — than what it ultimately obtained from the five-team trade (Andrew Wiggins, Anderson, Mitchell and a 2025 first-round pick). The teams that inquired about Butler last summer, when Miami wasn’t trying to trade him, never discussed offering multiple first-round picks.
On Monday, I asked a longtime Eastern Conference scout to offer his perspective on Miami’s place in the East following the addition of Norman Powell. Some feedback: “Let’s start with who’s better. I see six teams for sure: New York, Cleveland, Orlando, Atlanta, Detroit, Milwaukee. Philadelphia is better if they’re healthy. So I would say the Heat’s a solid play-in team, in the same ballpark as Indiana and potentially better than Boston. They’re not 10 or 11; they’re more like 7, 8 or 9. “It’s around a .500 team. If they won 45, it would be a great year. They’re not bad, but they’re not good. Chicago is mediocre; the Heat is maybe a little better than mediocre. They have three very good NBA players with [Bam] Adebayo, [Tyler] Herro and Powell. We’ll see about Ware. Andrew Wiggins is meh at this point.”
LeBron James trade talk goes quiet, expected to start season with Lakers
Zach Lowe: LeBron's on the Lakers. I've heard it's kind of gotten quiet now after it was the talk of Summer League. There doesn't seem to be like a clean solution either way. Everyone's saying we should expect them to be on the Lakers. That's my expectation. But I agree with you. Like on paper there's a Heat trade that is not crazy for either team. Andrew Wiggins and Norman Powell for unhappy LeBron in January and maybe some sort of pick swap and maybe that's all it is as crazy as that sounds. Lowe: I think for the Lakers Kel’el Ware has got to be in it.
Lakers not interested in Andrew Wiggins
Zach Lowe: The Lakers have I guess sniffed around Wiggins. I didn't really understand any of those trade rumors. Dan Woike: They're not interested in Andrew Wiggins. I think I can put that I think I can put that to bed.
Advertisement
Heat planning to keep Andrew Wiggins
With an NBA source confirming to the Sun Sentinel that the Heat’s plan at the moment is to move forward with Andrew Wiggins for training camp, Erik Spoelstra spoke of how the goal is getting Wiggins in a comfort zone. “I think there’s still real opportunity for growth with him as he gets comfortable with us,” Spoelstra said, with Wiggins acquired in the Feb. 6 deal at the NBA training deadline that sent Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors. “He’s already down in Miami right now and will be bringing his family in. He’s going to be here most of August and September, I think just to get more acclimated. And I think that’s really important for him.”
Erik Spoelstra: “It’s not easy changing teams midseason. But you can see the possibilities of the two-way play. He’s really dynamic defensively. He can guard, in our system, multiple players. Offensively, his skill set is really unique because you can go to him.”
Anthony Chiang: During an interview at summer league practice in Vegas, Erik Spoelstra says Andrew Wiggins is already back in South Florida and views him as an important piece of the Heat’s rotation next season.
"Is Wiggins still an option?" Jovan Buha: "I think he’s still an option, but I don’t think there’s been much conversation between the two sides as of late. Still, like, it’s always random when something gets aggregated. And it just destroys my mentions for days—because this Wiggins thing has destroyed my Twitter. I’ve not really been able to check my replies for almost a week now because of this Wiggins aggregation about the price that Miami was asking for. So, I don’t think the Lakers are going to give them that price. I don’t think anyone’s going to give them that price for Wiggins. I think he’s still an option, but I don’t think there’s been much traction between the two sides."
It seems like Andrew Wiggins being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason is a long shot. Lakers insider Jovan Buha said Monday during a question-and-answer session, "I don't know if Wiggins at this point is looking realistic" given what the Miami Heat are asking for in return.
Advertisement
But there remains the possibility of trades that can bring changes to Miami’s roster. Rozier and Wiggins are two players who the Heat has explored trading this offseason, according to league sources.
But rumors swirled this week, linking L.A. to trade talks with the Utah Jazz for center Walker Kessler and the Miami Heat for wing Andrew Wiggins, and representatives for both Reaves and Vincent were not contacted about any of the teams involved, sources told ESPN, which is customary when a trade nears the finish line.
Among the veterans currently being monitored leaguewide for potential inclusion in trades this offseason: Miami's Andrew Wiggins, Toronto's RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, Utah's Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson in addition to Collins, Washington's Marcus Smart and Milwaukee's Pat Connaughton.
The Heat’s final offer included Andrew Wiggins, Terry Rozier, two bench players and the 20th pick in Wednesday’s NBA Draft. Haywood Highsmith and Jaime Jaquez Jr. were discussed as those two additional pieces in Miami’s offer, the source said. In order for Miami to make the deal cap compliant and offer the Suns more than only Wiggins, Rozier and the 20th pick, Miami was willing to take on the salary of an unnamed Suns player, according to an Eastern Conference source.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement