Miami Heat: 3 compelling trade options for Dion Waiters

2. Minnesota Timberwolves

Standing 6’8″ with a 7’0″ wingspan and possessing elite athleticism, Andrew Wiggins is one of the more intriguing players in the league. As the No. 1 overall pick in 2014, the general opinion of Wiggins can change dramatically from one person to the next.

Despite his high pedigree and the seemingly limitless talent level at his disposal, Wiggins has not come close to reaching his potential in the eyes of many. Last season was certainly a step backwards, primarily due to the arrival of All-Star Jimmy Butler.

After averaging 23.6 points per game in 2016-17, Wiggins saw his scoring drop to 17.7 points per game, primarily due to his field goal attempts dropping from 19.1 to 15.9 per game. Furthermore, his touches per game dropped from 51.3 to 42.5 per game.

So despite signing a five-year, $146 million deal on the eve of this past season, Wiggins’ future in Minneapolis cannot be guaranteed. Recently, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic noted:

"“But from what I can gather, Wiggins doesn’t have a huge amount of value on the market right now. He’s about to start a five-year, $148 million contract and is coming off of a less-than-convincing fourth season in the league.”"

From the Timberwolves’ perspective, while they would be taking back two long-term deals in their own right, they would also be receiving a future first-round selection from the Heat.

As a result, a starting lineup of Jeff Teague, Dion Waiters, Jimmy Butler, James Johnson and Karl-Anthony Towns would certainly get heads turning. With a plethora of ball-handling options, head coach Tom Thibodeau would certainly be licking his chops at their prospects moving forward.

Still just 23 years old, Wiggins has virtually his entire career ahead of him. While he is no playmaker, as evidenced by his career mark of 2.1 assists per game, Wiggins would be placed in the role as the Heat’s No. 1 option on offense.

Considering as a 22-year-old he compiled five games of 40 or more points during the 2016-17 season, the change to an elite culture and environment in Miami could be just the thing Wiggins needs to elevate his game to the next level.

In addition to Wiggins, the Heat would also be receiving a terrific backup point guard in Tyus Jones to fill out the roster.