MIAMI — October will belong to Tyler Herro when it comes to focus on what comes next for the Miami Heat, with the All-Star guard with a contract-extension window from Oct. 1 to Oct. 20, three weeks hereby designated as Tyler Time.
For now, that leaves September as an open canvas with Andrew Wiggins, for a potential decision on what might (or might not) come next for the Heat forward.
At one point ahead of the NBA draft in June, Wiggins was linked most notably to the Phoenix Suns in the trade for Kevin Durant that didn’t happen (because Kevin Durant to the Heat actually never happens, instead dealt to the Houston Rockets).
But in that same time frame, there was speculation about Wiggins being some type of final piece for one last LeBron James challenge for a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Now, with Heat camp to open in two weeks, such speculation has returned, with a variety of reports indicating renewed Lakers interest in the forward acquired by the Heat in February’s trade that sent Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors.
Then, as now, Wiggins would make a significant degree of sense for the Lakers, with his ability to defend on the perimeter, as well as accept a complimentary role. It was in such a role that he thrived alongside Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green with the Warriors, a role similar to what would be required alongside LeBron, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
But what the Lakers want would be only part of the equation, with the Heat having to decide from their perspective whether they view themselves poised for their own competitive run this coming season.
ESPN’s projection last month cast the Heat at No. 9 in the East, with the Lakers cast at No. 6 in the West.
So, yes, the Lakers would appear to have more going for them in what could be LeBron’s Los Angeles swansong.
But absolutely nothing coming from the Heat indicates a willingness to step back in the moment in order to step forward in the future (a theme even touched upon by Micky Arison in his Hall of Fame speech last weekend).
Which brings us back to Wiggins.
One speculated framework for a Wiggins-Lakers deal would have the Heat taking back forward Rui Hachimura and guard Dalton Knecht.
Such a deal would deliver less in-the-moment talent to the Heat, but would also deliver expiring contracts.
That could matter for the Heat, with Wiggins earning $28.2 million this coming season, then with a player option for $30.2 million in 2026-27. If the belief is that Wiggins would choose to remain under contract in 2026-27, then such a Hachimura-Knecht deal would assure the Heat of being off Wiggins’ money in 2026-27
However …
Based on escalating NBA salaries and the likelihood of Wiggins seeking greater long-term contract stability, the odds are reasonable that he opts out at the close of the coming season, to hit free agency next summer.
Further, based on where the Heat stand with their own payroll, particularly if Nikola Jovic or Norman Powell negotiate extensions this season, cap space for the Heat next summer might be illusory, anyway. (A Herro extension would not impact the Heat books until the 2027-28 cap year.)
Hachimura is on an expiring contract. Knecht, still on the rookie scale, either expires after this season or the Heat could pick up two seasons’ worth of low-cost salary as team options.
Which brings it all back to Wiggins and the Heat’s plans for the coming season.
Debate direction all you want, but there has been no indication, privately or otherwise, that the Heat’s intention is anything less than to compete for the best possible record, despite a large number of developmental prospects, despite holding their own draft pick (lottery pick?) next June.
For the coming season, the Heat would be better with Wiggins than the combination of Hachimura/Knecht.
With defensive limitations on the roster, Wiggins provides the ability to individually defend from shooting guard to power forward, potentially to help mask defensive deficiencies at those spots of Jovic, Powell and Herro.
With the offensive upgrade with Powell, there is the potential for Wiggins to again operate as he did at his best with the Warriors, with Herro/Powell his new Curry/Thompson (albeit on a far different level) and Adebayo a not-so-poor man’s Draymond.
Yes, Knecht could provide some of the shooting the Heat lack. And, yes, Hachimura retains potential.
But that is a trade made when you are taking the long view.
Which the Heat seemingly are not. For better or worse.
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And a trade you make the other way when youth be damned.
Which has been the way with LeBron’s teams for years (remember, the Cleveland Cavaliers traded a rookie Wiggins for Kevin Love amid LeBron’s 2014 Cleveland return).
Add more draft capital and the Heat would be wise to listen.
Otherwise, see how it works from the start of a season with Wiggins, then go from there.
IN THE LANE
DUAL DEALINGS: Just as Udonis Haslem has attempted to balance his work with the Heat and his work as a television analyst, Dirk Nowitzki now finds himself doing the same with the Dallas Mavericks, as he joins Haslem as an analyst with Amazon Prime new NBA coverage. “I’m not too involved in front office decisions these days,” Nowitzki said on a Dallas radio appearance. “I try to go to practice a lot… it felt a little weird… not knowing my role. So since then, I’ve kind of pulled back again.” Haslem has stood as somewhat of a fixture at Heat practices, but has stressed the limitations of his role from a personnel perspective.
STILL PUSHING: Ahead of last weekend’s induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Heat owner Micky Arison sat with former Heat guard Steve Smith and stressed in an NBA TV interview that his work remains ongoing toward a singular goal. “My philosophy,” Arison said, “is find the best people you can find and let ’em do their job. And if they’re really solid people and they really love what they do, they’re going to be successful and they’re going to keep working at it until they’re successful. And that’s what we’ve done. We’ve just tried to keep working at it and working at it. It seemed like it took forever to get that first championship and now it feels like forever to get that fourth one. But we’re going to keep working at it.”
SILVER TONGUED: As part of a video celebrating Arison’s induction, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the qualifications were unquestioned. “Micky’s so deserving of being in the Hall of Fame because of the impact he has had on this game,” Silver said. “Over three decades, I can’t think of any major initiative in the NBA that he has not been directly involved in, the contribution to the game of basketball and the NBA has been enormous.”
HEATED IMPACT: This past week’s NBA Board of Governors meeting offered a reminder of a pair of former Heat forwards now residing at the top of the sport’s hierarchy, with James Jones now the league’s head of basketball operations and Andre Iguodala the executive director of the National Basketball Players Association. In addressing the expected move to an All-Star Game that will feature an international squad, Silver referenced both. “Byron (Spruell, an NBA executive) and James Jones are sitting right in front of me here, and they were overseeing it. But the goal is to have the new format in place by the opening of the regular season,” Silver said, adding. “I think, tremendous progress working with Andre Iguodala and the Players Association. I think they have the same interest we do in having a more exciting and engaging All-Star.”
PLACE AND SPACE: Heat center Bam Adebayo, through his BBB Foundation, is teaming up with basketball trainer and shooting coach Chris Matthews — known as “Lethal Shooter” — to donate a basketball court to His House Children’s Home, a Miami foster-care facility that provides shelter and support to children in need. The court unveiling and celebration will take place Oct 19. Said Adebayo in a statement, “My mission has always been to support kids and give them opportunities to grow, dream, and feel loved. This court is more than just a place to play — it’s a space for healing, friendship, and community.”
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3. Former Heat players to be featured at the NBA House event in China in conjunction with the league’s concurrent exhibition games between the Suns and Nets. In addition to former Heat players Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Hardaway and Shawn Marion, the Oct. 8-12 event in Macao also will feature former Broward prep standout and NBA All-Star Mitch Richmond, as well as former NBA players Stephon Marbury and Deron Williams.
