The Miami Heat are shaking up their starting five after a rough opening to the season, and Andrew Wiggins is the one moving out.
Miami entered tonight’s game against the Sacramento Kings at 3-9, and head coach Erik Spoelstra has decided the first nine games were enough to warrant a change. For tonight, Pelle Larsson is stepping into the starting lineup in place of Wiggins.
That means the Heat will open with Davion Mitchell, Klay Thompson, Giannis Antetkounmpo, Bam Adebayo and Larsson.
The move comes after Miami used the same starting group for the first nine games, but the early results pushed the team toward a reset. Even with limited time together, the new combination is viewed as a stronger fit on both ends of the floor.
Larsson’s shooting has been part of the appeal. He’s entering the game shooting above 40% from deep, which at least forces defenses to pay attention to him on the perimeter. Wiggins, by contrast, is shooting below 30% through the first nine games, a gap that has stood out sharply.
The defensive side may be even more important. Larsson brings a physical edge and has been described as a good individual defender whose style lifts the group around him. With Mitchell, Adebayo, Antetokounmpo and Larsson together, Miami can put four elite defenders on the floor at once.
Wiggins’ struggles have gone beyond the shot. The concern isn’t just the poor percentages; it’s the defense, too.
He was supposed to help make Miami’s defense overwhelming alongside three elite defenders, but that hasn’t happened. He has historically been a strong perimeter defender and a versatile piece, yet this season he has been lack luster at best.
He has been among the worst in the NBA in opponent field goal percentage and has not been nearly stingy enough at the point of attack.
The source of the frustration has shown up in the matchups, too. It’s not just Cooper Flagg getting by him off the dribble - Brook Lopez did it the other night as well.
A bench role could be next for Wiggins, at least for now. The idea would be to let him find a rhythm against lesser competition and give him chances to operate more as a primary scorer.
He’s still viewed as a talented player who has proven he can help good teams, so this isn’t being framed as the end of his run in Miami. But if the slide continues, the Heat are clearly willing to keep exploring options.
Larsson’s promotion also opens the door for rookie Ryan Conwell Jr. to keep seeing minutes off the bench, where he can add more playmaking and creativity to that unit. Spoelstra is also expected to stagger his lineups as he searches for the best combinations.
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