The Miami Heat have locked in Andrew Wiggins on a new deal that keeps him in South Florida for the long haul. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Wiggins intends to sign a three-year, $64 million contract with a player option in the third season.
The contract details were later confirmed by Ethan Skolnick of Five Reasons Sports and Miami Heat OnSI: Wiggins will make $30.1 million in the first season, then $17 million in each of the next two years. A clarification on the deal also noted that he opts into $30.1 million for this season before extending two years after that, for a total of $34M, which gives Miami more flexibility in the two offseasons after this one.
That first-year number still matters. Wiggins will make $30M this upcoming season, so the move does not instantly open up cap space for the Heat. Miami may still need to shuffle pieces around if it wants to add more significant help right away.
One possibility would be trading Nikola Jovic, though that could require the Heat to attach a future second-round pick to get it done.
Even with that wrinkle, this is a major retention for Miami. Wiggins remains one of the league’s better three-and-D wings, and the Heat are set to pay him roughly $21M per season, a number that looks like a bargain in today’s NBA. He has already shown he can handle the biggest stages, and he brings championship experience back into the mix.
On offense, Wiggins is expected to be Miami’s third option. He is not going to fill up a box score every night, but he can score and he can knock down threes, which fits what the Heat need.
He shot 41% from deep last season, and if that holds, it would be a huge boost. He does not need the ball to matter, and with the gravity Giannis will create, Wiggins should find more clean looks.
The defensive upside is even more striking. Miami could have one of the best defenses in the NBA next season, and the perimeter-to-paint structure is daunting.
Wiggins is one of the Heat’s best point-of-attack defenders, and pairing him with Davion Mitchell on the perimeter gives opposing offenses a brutal first line to crack. Behind them sit Bam Adebayo and Giannis, both protecting the paint.
That trio could be the best defensive frontcourt combination in the league. All three are versatile, all three can switch, and all three fit Erik Spoelstra’s schemes. The Heat finally have the kind of size and athleticism that can change games on that end.
There is still some room for Miami to keep working. The team has been exploring options, including a possible run at free agent LeBron James if his situation keeps souring in Los Angeles and he does not end up with Golden State or Cleveland. The Heat are also hoping useful veterans fall to them at the minimum, with Khris Middleton, Buddy Hield, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Anfernee Simons mentioned as names in the mix, though the last two may be more expensive.
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Now, after being waived by the Nets, Simmons is signaling that he wants another shot in the NBA and has been spending time in Miami while weighing his next step. For the Heat, that creates a familiar kind of offseason intrigue: a talented name with real upside, but also a long list of questions that would have to be sorted out before anything concrete could happen. [Read more 🡒]
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Heat Suddenly Look Poised For Another Major Roster Shakeup
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What stands out is the kind of names attached to the search, from shot-makers like Anfernee Simons, Zach LaVine, Cameron Johnson, Tim Hardaway and Khris Middleton to the possibility of a bigger splash if the right door opens. The Heat are said to be aiming for at least two skilled three-point shooters, which makes the next few days about more than just filling the back end of the roster - it could shape how aggressively Miami decides to chase another significant shakeup. [Read more 🡒]