The Miami Heat acquired Andrew Wiggins as part of the Jimmy Butler trade to the Golden State Warriors. Things have been very different for the two teams since then.
The Heat’s season appears to be collapsing as they are currently amidst a five-game losing streak and their record now stands at 29-36. The best they can hope for is a play-in spot. Wiggins has been putting up some decent numbers but overall, the Heat are not playing winning basketball and might need to make some moves in the summer.
On the other hand, the Butler Effect is proving to be very real for the Warriors. They are 13-1 when he plays and are now being considered as Championship contenders once again. Wiggins leaving appears to have been an emotional moment for the Warriors. In fact, one of their players was wishing that it was him getting traded to the Heat instead. According to Aaditya Krishnamurthy on FadeAway World, Buddy Hield said in an interview with 95.7 The Game’s ‘Steiny and Guru’: “When guys were traded, it was a rough day for [Warriors coach Steve Kerr]. Especially with Wiggs, it was emotional in that locker room.
I was even more emotional because I wish it was me that got traded because Wiggs did so much for this franchise.” Of course, getting traded is part and parcel of being a professional basketball player. But one cannot completely overlook the personal connections that the players end up building along the way. Wiggins was an integral part of the Warriors for years and played a key role in their 2022 Championship win. That being said, there is no question that Butler has raised the ceiling for the Warriors since his arrival. They appear to have forgotten how to lose, and facing them in the playoffs should be a scary prospect for any team.