Yet again, the NBA Trade Deadline brought another insane, drama-filled night.
This time it happened during a night packed with NBA games. The NBA loaded up the slate on Wednesday night, and that meant players were being told in the middle of games that they were about to be traded. The drama of multiple blockbuster trades eclipsed some awesome basketball games, including the Cleveland Cavaliers winning on a Darius Garland buzzer-beater.
The Los Angeles Lakers landed their young center of the future and the Toronto Raptors took a swing at a former All-Star, but the most significant deal of the night was the Golden State Warriors trading for disgruntled star Jimmy Butler.
The deal was a complicated one for the Heat and a risky one for the Warriors, but overall it worked out exactly as the Cavaliers would have hoped. Butler is not only off of the Heat but out of the Eastern Conference, and another superstar like Kevin Durant didn't make his way back East. They should be quite happy at how things turned out.
Yet a tiny report from NBA cap expert Keith Smith on the morning of the Trade Deadline has opened the door for another possibility for the Cavaliers to benefit from the Jimmy Butler trade: the deal has not yet been finalized.
Of all the reported deals yesterday, only the Daniel Theis to OKC and Jonas Valanciunas to SAC trades have been made official.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) February 6, 2025
Still plenty of time for other deals to expand, as we've already seen happen a couple of times. It's going to be a busy day today in the NBA!
That means that any of the trades from last night could be expanded to include other teams and other pieces moving around the chess board. In particular, the Jimmy Butler trade has an opening for the Cavaliers to find the solution to their biggest need: perimeter defense.
The Miami Heat made it clear in trade negotiations that they didn't want to take on long-term money, but Andrew Wiggins is under contract for two more seasons beyond this one. He also happens to be an exceptionally gifted perimeter defender who doesn't take anything off the table as a shooter and can provide secondary shot creation as well.
In short, the Cleveland Cavaliers should call the Heat about trading for Andrew Wiggins.
The Cavaliers could trade for Andrew Wiggins
Andrew Wiggins would be a seamless fit as the starting small forward for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 6'7" Wiggins, who was originally drafted No. 1 overall by the Cavaliers before he was flipped to Minnesota in the Kevin Love trade back in 2014, would be an instant size upgrade on Max Strus in the starting lineup.
What's more, he has been the Warriors' No. 1 perimeter defender for the past few years, including an important run to the 2022 Championship where he was the second-best player on the team. He has the lateral agility to take on faster guards like Tyrese Haliburton or Tyrese Maxey, the length to bother stronger guards and wings like Jalen Brunson or Jaylen Brown, and the discipline to stick with more methodical foul-baiting players like Luka Doncic.
Yet Wiggins also brings offensive juice to the table, shooting 37.9 percent from deep this season on a robust volume of attempts. He is also comfortable attacking closeouts to either pull-up from midrange or get all the way into to the paint, and he has even developed as a passer in the Warriors' system the past few years.
Just 29 years old, Wiggins is still firmly in his prime, and is under contract for two more seasons at reasonable money. If the Cavaliers are looking for an ideal 3-and-D forward to plug into the small forward spot, Wiggins would be an ideal choice.
Can they realistically convince the Heat to flip him their way?
It seems like such a move would be in play. Caris LeVert is $16.6 million of expiring money, clearing space immediately for the Heat this summer. Georges Niang could be added in as $8.5 million for this season and next, which would fit the Heat's goal of not having money past next season. If Cleveland attaches its 2031 first-round pick (Top-4 protected) would that get this done?
It seems like it certainly could. Wiggins would help a win-now team, and the Heat could pivot even further into their retooling this summer. Now that the Jimmy Butler trade saga is over, there is a chance the Cavaliers step in and take full advantage.