A year and a half after the Jimmy Butler deal, the Heat finally look ready to cash in on it.
At the time, the return did not exactly scream franchise-altering. Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell were solid players, sure, but it was hard to picture either one swinging Miami’s direction in a major way. For plenty of fans, the move felt unnecessary and forced.
Now the picture looks different.
With Giannis Antetokounmpo added to the mix, Miami suddenly has a setup where Wiggins and Mitchell can matter in a much bigger way. If the Heat are going to beat expectations and put together a successful season, both players figure to be part of that formula.
That is where the Jimmy Butler trade starts to make more sense. Wiggins was the centerpiece of the deal with the Golden State Warriors before the 2025 NBA Trade Deadline, and while that was tough to fully grasp in the moment, it is easier to see the logic now.
The Heat were clearly looking ahead. They seemed to understand that a bigger move could be coming later, and if it did, Wiggins would have a real role in it. That is exactly the situation now.
Mitchell, who was a smaller piece of the deal, has also done his part. He was part of the gamble, and that gamble has paid off too.
None of this erases the criticism the Heat faced during the Jimmy situation. But it does explain the long view behind the move. Part of the trade was about sending Butler to a different situation, and part of it was about betting that another opportunity would eventually arrive.
It did.
And now, with a bigger move in hand, the Heat and their fans are finally in position to see the full payoff.
In Other News...
Tim Hardaway Jr Could Be The Heat's Real Swing Piece
Miamis offseason overhaul has been about more than just landing star power. Alongside the arrivals of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis, the Heat added Tim Hardaway Jr. to help address a long-standing need on the perimeter, a move that fits neatly with the later signing of Klay Thompson and the decision to keep Simone Fontecchio in the mix. Hardaway brings both spacing and a track record that suggests he can fit into a rotation built to punish teams for helping off the arc.
What makes him especially interesting is the way his profile could matter in bigger moments. Hardaway shot a career-high 40.7 percent from three last season with Denver and has been through the playoff grind before from his time with Dallas, giving Miami another proven shooter with some postseason scars. In a group already reshaped by major additions, the question is whether Hardaway ends up being just part of the shooting depth or the player who quietly decides how far this new-look Heat team can go. [Read more 🡒]
Klay Thompson Looks Like Miamis Best Bet In A Crucial Battle
The Heats preseason search for a starting shooting guard has become one of the more interesting early lineup decisions, and Klay Thompson is making a strong case simply by being the kind of reliable perimeter threat Miami has long valued at the position. Even with a scoreless preseason outing, Thompson still looks like the cleanest fit for a role that has often been defined by spacing, experience and the ability to punish defenses from the arc, which keeps him in the center of the conversation alongside Tim Hardaway Jr. and Pelle Larsson.
Hardaway brings his own proven shooting profile, but Thompsons track record and feel for the role give him an edge in a competition that feels less about upside than immediate trust. Larssons recent contract extension points to a longer-term future in the mix, but the Heat are still sorting out the present, and the starting job appears to be a battle between established options before the younger piece is ready to take the next step. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Suddenly Have A New Guard Worth Watching In Camp
Tre Donaldson put himself on the radar in a hurry during the Heats annual Red, White and Pink scrimmage, pacing the team with 25 points while also showing the kind of scoring and playmaking that can separate a camp invite from the pack. With Miami sorting through its backcourt options, every clean possession and every steady decision matters more than usual, and Donaldson clearly gave the coaching staff something to file away.
The timing only adds to the intrigue. Dru Smith is expected to miss a couple of weeks with a calf injury, leaving Erik Spoelstra to keep evaluating the guard room and other possible ball-handling answers. Spoelstra also singled out Ryan Conwell as another camp player making an impression, which suggests this part of camp is less about filling out reps and more about finding who can be trusted when the Heat need help in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]