When Heat forward Andrew Wiggins shot 16 for 43, with 11 turnovers, during April’s first-round playoff drubbing against the Cleveland Cavaliers, it was easy to forget that Wiggins — just three years earlier — had cemented himself as a major contributor on a championship team.
He finished the 2022 NBA Finals, a six-game Golden State victory against Boston, as the Warriors’ leading rebounder, top shot-blocker and second-leading scorer (behind Steph Curry) and played stifling defense on Boston All-Star forward Jayson Tatum.
Standing alone on the Heat’s practice court last week, Wiggins made clear he wants to remind everyone that he’s still very much capable of helping fuel a winning team. And Wiggins has been one of many key contributors in this 3-1 start, even with his 14.5 scoring average standing four points below his career mark.
Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins (22) looks to pass during the first half of the NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, on Sunday, October 26, 2025. PHOTO BY AL DIAZ adiaz@miamiherald.com
“I’ll always be a winner,” he said. “I would love to win multiple times to assure everyone that I still have it, that I still have what it takes to win, that I can still bring a lot to the table on a contending team.”
Wiggins, viewed as the key component of the Heat’s haul from last February’s Jimmy Butler trade, said his inefficient playoff series and sour end to the season drove him all offseason.
“That definitely wasn’t one of my better series and I did a lot more of everything [on the court] this summer,” he said. “I did everything I did before and more to get to the next level.”
While the contributions of Bam Adebayo, Norman Powell, Jaime Jaquez Jr, Davion Mitchell and Simone Fontecchio understandably have drawn more fanfare, Wiggins has done his part.
His first four games included an 18-point opener in the loss in Orlando; across the board contributions in the win at Memphis; what was essentially a game-sealing three-pointer late against the Knicks; and an efficient 21-point game against the Hornets.
“He’s at his best when he’s [asserting] himself,” Erik Spoelstra said after Tuesday’s 144-117 blowout of Charlotte. “It doesn’t have to necessarily be play calls, but it can be defensive plays, blocks, multiple efforts, getting out in transition. He’s a handful when he gets a head of steam.
“We all know he wants to really play well for the group. I love where his heart is.”
Wiggins is shooting 50% (22 for 44) through four games. The player he’s guarding is shooting 45.3%.
“I’m not one to force shots,” he said Tuesday after a night when Powell and Herro were sidelined and his scoring was particularly needed.
“I play within the flow of the offense, play within the flow of the game, and do whatever I can to help the team win. We’ve got Tyler, an All-Star. You’ve got Norm who had a hell of a season last year. Should have been an All-Star last year. But he’s heading towards it this year.
“We’ve got Bam. Bam’s another All-Star. So we’ve got a lot of guy that can do a lot of special things… I’m just playing within the flow of the game.”
The adjustment after the trade last February was challenging because his family was still on the West Coast. “For sure I definitely I feel more at home with my family here now,” he said.
The Heat’s up-tempo style suits him.
“We’re playing fast, we’re playing together,” he said. “I’m focused on doing something special with this team.”
Heat feats
The Heat heads out on a four game road trip — beginning Thursday in San Antonio (8:30 p.m. FanDuel Sports Sun) — ranked first in the league in scoring (131.5 points per game) and first in tempo (109.1 possessions per 48).
That’s stunning because the Heat closed with one of the NBA’s 10 worst offensive ratings in each of the past three seasons and finished as one of the five slowest-paced teams in the NBA in each of the past six regular seasons.
Miami is doing it without Herro, last year’s leading scorer who remains out indefinitely after ankle surgery.
▪ Powell, who missed Tuesday’s win with a groin strain, is listed as doubtful for the Spurs game. Niko Jovic (hip contusion) is questionable. Herro and Kasparas Jakucionis (groin) remain out. All four players traveled on the four-game trip.
▪ Jaquez leads the NBA in plus/minus by a wide margin. Miami has outscored teams by 104 points in his 112 minutes on the court.
He’s shooting 78.4% on two-pointers (29 for 37) and 2 for 8 on three-pointers.
Miami Heat guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. (11) drives the ball as Charlotte Hornets guard Sion James (4) defends in the second half of their NBA game at Kaseya Center on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, in downtown Miami, Fla. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
“I’m more encouraged by some of the playmaking that he’s doing on the decisions, [showing] a little bit more poise in the pocket,” Spoelstra said. “He’s getting another defender there often times, sometimes even a third defender. And the difference this year is he’s keeping them a little bit more honest.”
▪ Mitchell has 33 assists and six turnovers through four games. That assist-to-turnover ratio ranks in the top 12 in the league, and his 33 assists are the most by a Heat player in the first four games of a season since Tim Hardaway had 33 to start the 1996-97 season.
“How do you not love playing with a guy like that who wants to get you the ball?” Spoelstra said. “He wants to make sure that it’s delivered on time, on target. And that becomes contagious.”
▪ Adebayo became the fourth Heat player to surpass the 9,000-point mark, joining Dwayne Wade (21,556), Alonzo Mourning (9,459) and Glen Rice (9,248). Adebayo enters this road trip at 9,007.
▪ In a departure from previous league policy, the Heat will not be required to pay Terry Rozier while he is on NBA leave awaiting trial after being charged with knowingly participating in a gambling scheme, two sources confirmed.
According to the NBA labor agreement, players placed on leave continue to be paid, but the NBA is directing the Heat to place Rozier’s salary in an interest-bearing account, pending the resolution of his legal case.
This decision was made unilaterally by the NBA and not requested by the Heat, a source said. The Heat will receive no immediate cap relief, but the team is in ongoing discussions with the league about that.
▪ The Heat, the Micky & Madeleine Arison Family Foundation and Carnival Corporation partnered on a $1 million donation to assist with expected recovery efforts in Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa.
This story was originally published October 29, 2025 at 3:28 PM.
Barry Jackson
Miami Herald
Barry Jackson has written for the Miami Herald since 1986 and has written the Florida Sports Buzz column since 2002.
