Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins' name has hovered around the Los Angeles Lakers for more than a year, but if Rob Pelinka still views the veteran wing as a championship-caliber upgrade, he won't be alone in the pursuit. The Milwaukee Bucks are firmly back in the mix and their interest predates Los Angeles' involvement altogether.
NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that Milwaukee's pursuit of Wiggins stretches back to his Golden State days, writing that the Bucks "regularly called about Wiggins during his tenure in Golden State, league sources say." Fischer added that Wiggins remains on Milwaukee's radar as the front office looks for ways to maximize its championship window around Giannis Antetokounmpo.
That historical interest now intersects with a Miami Heat team quietly gauging Wiggins' market value. According to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto, the Heat have "gauged the trade market" for the 30-year-old forward, signaling at least a willingness to listen.
While Miami entered the 2025-26 season with optimism, recent inconsistency has altered the calculus. Sitting at 15-12 and eighth in the Eastern Conference, the Heat face a familiar question: push forward as constructed or retool for greater flexibility.
Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reported in July that Miami was not in a rush to move Wiggins and preferred to evaluate the roster on the court first. That patience may now be giving way to pragmatism.
Wiggins is playing efficient basketball averaging 16.3 points while shooting 47.4% from the field and 38.1 percent from three, but he also carries a sizable contract. He is owed $28.2 million this season and holds a $30.2 million player option for 2026-27.
That combination of production and financial commitment makes Wiggins an ideal "value peak" candidate. Miami could leverage his two-way utility to either improve the roster immediately or extract future assets, especially as rival contenders become more aggressive.
For the Lakers, the fit remains obvious. Marc Stein reported in September that Los Angeles could be intrigued "if Miami were to make him available," and the on-court logic still holds.
The Lakers rank 20th in defensive rating and 18th in 3-point shooting percentage (35.4 percent). Wiggins would address both issues without disrupting offensive hierarchy, offering perimeter defense, transition scoring, and reliable spacing alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Milwaukee's interest, however, may be more urgent. The Bucks have been "big-game hunting," and adding a versatile wing defender who doesn't require high usage could stabilize a roster built around Antetokounmpo and take the place of a very-much missed Khris Middleton.
Wiggins is no longer the All-Star version from Golden State's 2022 title run, but he remains a playoff-proven connector piece, exactly the type contenders covet in February.
A trade is far from inevitable. Still, Miami's willingness to test the market, combined with renewed pressure from the Lakers and Bucks, suggests Wiggins' name will only grow louder as the deadline approaches. Whether the Heat choose flexibility over continuity may ultimately decide which contender gets their man.
Newsweek