Of the several pieces returned to the Miami Heat in the five-team deal that sent Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors, Andrew Wiggins was by far the most enticing.
Wiggins, the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NBA draft, revitalized his image with the Warriors over the last several years and found his stride as a productive member of the organization, contributing to a 2022 NBA Finals win.
His departure cut Golden State deeply, with Buddy Hield even admitting he wished he was traded instead because of how important Wiggins had become to the Dubs. Coach Steve Kerr and team star Steph Curry's reactions to the outgoing player said a lot about what he meant, too.
Wiggins has been decent with the Heat early on, but his key teammates seem to believe he can be even better.
"... We’re still trying to get Wiggs comfortable to where he can be fully himself. Right now, we’re keeping it simple for him and just kind of getting out of his way," Miami teammate Bam Adebayo said of Wiggins' settling in to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. He acknowledged himself, guard Tyler Herro, and Wiggins as the three leaders of the current iteration of the Heat.
Wiggins is averaging about the same number of points, rebounds, and assists per 36 minutes with Miami as he was with Golden State. His shooting has suffered a bit from beyond the arc, going from 37.9% to 31.7% with Miami.
While Butler's integration with Golden State was more or less immediate, it might take some more time for Wiggins to fully feel at home.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Bam Adebayo Admits Heat Still Waiting for Andrew Wiggins to Be 'Himself' After Trade.
