NBA rumors: Miami Heat’s stance on Andrew Wiggins as Lakers, Bucks reportedly show interest

In recent weeks, rumors have circulated suggesting multiple NBA teams—including the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks—have expressed interest in Andrew Wiggins. Now, the Miami Heat reportedly have made their intentions clear regarding the forward.

“The expectation is the Heat will move forward with Andrew Wiggins on its roster for the start of next season. The Heat wants to see what this mix will look like,” reported Miami Herald journalist Anthony Chiang via his official X account, formerly known as Twitter.

This report brings some clarity to Wiggins’ future after he arrived in Miami back in February as part of the trade that sent Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors.

In his first few months with the Heat, Andrew showed flashes of strong form, particularly in the regular season, averaging 19.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists across 17 games. However, like the team overall, he failed to meet expectations in the playoffs.

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra

Physical issues that limited his availability at key points in the season also raised questions about the 30-year-old’s future. The uncertainty only grew when reports surfaced that Miami had included him in trade offers for Kevin Durant earlier this summer. In that context, teams like the Lakers and Bucks were rumored to be monitoring Wiggins’ situation.

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What does Spoelstra think of Wiggins?

On Saturday, Erik Spoelstra addressed the media and was asked directly about Wiggins’ role moving forward. “I think there’s still real opportunity for growth with him as he gets comfortable with us,” the coach told the Miami Herald. “I think that’s going to get a lot better just as he gets more comfortable and acclimated with us, the city, everything with our team and the players and in the locker room, all of that.”

Spoelstra also emphasized how valuable Wiggins could be for the Heat in the near future. “Before he got hurt, he was exactly what we needed and wanted out of that position,” said Erik. “He’s really dynamic defensively. He can guard, in our system, multiple players. Offensively, his skill set is really unique because you can go to him. We probably played him more as a go-to guy than he had been playing in that role previously. Not for better or worse, we just needed that. But he also can play off the ball, which is important.”

The Heat are building something promising

Following a turbulent 2024–25 NBA season that included the departure of their franchise star after weeks of tension, the Miami Heat are now focused on rebuilding a team capable of contending in the Eastern Conference.

With Bam Adebayo now clearly established as the team’s leader, and Tyler Herro playing at an All-Star level, they already have a solid foundation. To that, they’ve added veteran guard Norman Powell, who joins the team after a strong campaign with the Los Angeles Clippers. In that context, a healthy, fully integrated Andrew Wiggins could be a crucial piece for Miami going forward.