Andrew Wiggins could end up as the Miami Heat’s third option in 2026-27 if they do not land another star. That is the shape of the roster conversation now, with Miami still searching for another high-end piece to put beside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo.
For Wiggins, the timing matters because he is entering his second full season in Miami after arriving from the Golden State Warriors for Jimmy Butler. He is 31 and moving into his 13th season, which puts him at a point in his career where role and usage can shift quickly depending on what the Heat do next.
The case for Wiggins is not hard to see. He has been a No. 1 pick in the 2014 draft, won Rookie of the Year, made an All-Star team with the Golden State Warriors in 2021-22 and remains a career 18.2-point scorer. Last season, he averaged 15.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists for Miami, numbers that do not scream franchise centerpiece but do show a player who can still carry a serious scoring load when needed.
That is why the comparison to other options matters. DeMar DeRozan spent last season with the Sacramento Kings and averaged 18 points, so Miami’s search for another star is not about finding a body to fill a seat. It is about deciding whether the Heat want a proven scorer who can elevate the group right away or whether Wiggins becomes the steady fallback if the bigger swing never lands.
There is also a catch built into the way this has been framed. Wiggins is being discussed as a possible third option, but that role only exists if Miami misses on the higher-end addition it wants. If the Heat land another star, his place in the offense changes. If they do not, the burden on Wiggins rises fast, and his value shifts from useful scorer to a player who may have to do more than the numbers from last season suggest.
That is the real question hanging over Miami now, and it is the one that will define how Wiggins is viewed going into 2026-27: whether he is the third piece by choice or the best available answer because the bigger move never comes.
