THE Miami Heat have a head coach in Erik Spoelstra who’s on a Hall of Fame trajectory. They have a perennial All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year candidate in Bam Adebayo. They have a first-time All-Star in Norman Powell, a recent Sixth Man of the Year winner in Tyler Herro, and a former first overall pick in Andrew Wiggins. Their roster is littered with first-round picks on their rookie contracts, from Kel’el Ware and Jaime Jaquez Jr. to Nikola Jovic and Kasparas Jakucionis. As if that wasn’t enough, starting point guard Davion Mitchell and second-year guard Pelle Larsson are in the middle of career seasons.

Heat Fail To Get First-Round Picks For Andrew Wiggins, Tyler Herro, Norman Powell

On paper, Miami’s personnel makes their 28-27 record look indefensible. That’s what makes it hardly surprising that they’ll make “another attempt to acquire” Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo “this summer,” according to the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. Though the Bucks’ seriousness or willingness to trade Antetokounmpo prior to the Feb. 5 deadline has been questioned, the Heat are in no position to let those doubts deter them from trying to catch a shooting star.

Bearing that in mind, the growing sense of desperation probably wouldn’t exist if this season was seen as an outlier. However, Miami’s had a win percentage under .550 (equivalent to 45 wins) in three of the past four seasons. In that time, they’ve been bounced out of the first round of the NBA Playoffs twice (2024, 2025).

The Jimmy Butler Trade Is Haunting Them

Aside from their maddening mediocrity, the Heat were recently forced to trade Jimmy Butler due to a front office rift.

Butler, a six-time All-Star, was key to their last two NBA Finals appearances (2020, 2023). Unfortunately for Miami, the player they traded Butler for was Wiggins. Though the former Rookie of the Year was able to turn his career around with the Golden State Warriors, the Heat didn’t need that version of him. They needed Wiggins to meld his aggressive mentality from his Minnesota Timberwolves days with his refined decision-making and jumper from his Warriors tenure.

Instead, Wiggins has been averaging 16.7 points per game for Miami, exactly what he scored for Golden State.

Andrew Wiggins Is Still A Valuable Trade Asset

Ironically, if the Heat were going to upgrade their roster, Wiggins is one of the best assets. Though he’s no longer a consistent takeover scorer, he’s an athletic 3-and-D wing that scores in volume. His skills, accomplishments and experiences would all make him a fit for a veteran group trying to get over the hump. For example, when the Cleveland Cavaliers made De’Andre Hunter available, Wiggins would’ve been an upgrade.

However, the Heat haven’t been “offered a first-round pick for any of its top veteran wing players,” per Jackson. Not Wiggins, nor Herro, nor Powell. The highest price opposing teams were willing to pay for Wiggins was “potentially two second-round picks.”

For that, Miami may as well wait out the season.

Again, whether or not they come fruition, the Heat have designs on adding Antetokounmpo. Meanwhile, Wiggins can still be moved this offseason, even if it’s in a sign-and-trade. Furthermore, the offer that didn’t appeal to Milwaukee last week could be a lot better in the summer light. That’s particularly true if Antetokounmpo explicitly requests a trade and pinpoints Miami as where he wants to be. Because Antetokounmpo can opt out of his contract and become a free agent in 2027, teams will be hesitant to send their favored assets for a player that could just up and leave after the season.

Did A Team Offer A First-Round Pick For Ware?

The Bucks “considered” the Heat’s offer but “never told (them) what would be enough to make them say ‘yes,’” Therefore, it’s difficult to firmly state that Wiggins would have to be involved in the package for Antetokounmpo. Interestingly though, Miami “found a way to acquire a third first-round pick.”

With that being said, if it wasn’t Wiggins, Herro or Powell, it may have been Ware who drove that offer. Among the Heat’s younger players, who’s shown the most upside as a potential star. Their refusal to keep Ware out of non-Antetokounmpo trade negotiations could answer why they don’t have that first-round pick already. The knowledge that Antetokounmpo might not ever come would only make them more hesitant to complete that trade.

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