Do the Miami Heat Have an Andrew Wiggins Issue Worth Addressing?

There are several reasons for the Miami Heat's underwhelming 3-6 start to the season and Andrew Wiggins is part of it.

In nine games, the one-time All-Star is averaging just 8.6 points on 40.8 percent shooting, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 25.9 minutes as a starter. Wiggins has fallen under the category of needing to adjust to playing alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, which has been an occurring theme. The 31-year-old has built a career as one of the best two-way forwards in the league.

Wiggins can usually score efficiently on all three levels while defending multiple positions from the paint to the perimeter. However, as the Heat continue to experience growing pains and adjust to Antetokounmpo's play style, it has impacted the 13-year veteran's production.

In an episode of the Heat Collective podcast, CEO Ethan Skolnick of Five Reasons Sports had an interesting take on Wiggins' struggles.

"There are some around the NBA who don't think he really loves basketball," he said. "This has happened before when he's gotten a contract. Maybe he's lost a little bit of passion for [basketball]."

Wiggins took less money this summer by opting into a player option for this season worth $30.17 million, then signing a two-year, $33.83 million extension, which includes a $17.32 million player option for the 2028-29 season. He could have explored for more in free agency. Last season, Wiggins averaged 15.4 points while shooting 41.4 percent from behind the arc, 4.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and a block in 30.3 minutes – appearing in 68 games (all starts).

Any role player putting up those kinds of numbers during a contract year is nearly guaranteed to receive a strong set of offers.

Wiggins chose to stay with the Heat in hopes of competing for a championship. It's still early in the season, but for things to turn around, he will need to take a step forward in production. Offensive opportunities will likely go up and down, given Antetokounmpo's ball dominance, but the defense needs to be consistent, as that is controllable.

The first step for the Heat is to have a .500 record, which has yet to happen this season. Coming off a 120-100 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Thursday at the Chase Center in San Francisco (CA), the road trip was an opportunity wasted. The Heat will return to the court on Sunday in Northern California to take on the Sacramento Kings, who have just one win to start this season through nine games.

It's still early to press any panic buttons, but monitoring certain situations, such as Wiggins, is reasonable.

More Miami Heat News:

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- "Miami Heat's First Season Win Comes on Adebayo's Record-Breaking Night"