The Milwaukee Bucks might have just found their best wing solution yet—and it's coming from a team they’ve been battling for years now.
According to NBA insiders Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, the Heat are exploring trades to dump the hefty contract of veteran forward Andrew Wiggins, whom they acquired from the Golden State Warriors as part of the Jimmy Butler blockbuster. It’s a move that could crack open a path for Milwaukee to finally address its long-standing issue: perimeter defense against stars.
“The Heat is believed to be exploring trades for veteran forward Andrew Wiggins,” the Herald reported. “Wiggins has two seasons left on his contract, as he’s due $28.2 million this upcoming season and has a $30.2 million player option in the 2026-27 season.”
That’s not a cheap price tag. But it might be negotiable.
The Miami Heat might be willing to part with a competent two-way wing
The Heat have made it clear: 2026 cap space is the goal. If Wiggins doesn’t fit into that timeline, they could be willing to take less in return just to move the money. That gives a team like Milwaukee, one with tradeable mid-size contracts and all the motivation in the world to take a risk now, a rare opportunity to solve a massive need.
The Bucks’ core problem the past two seasons has been simple: nobody on this roster can slow down the East’s elite. The Bucks have been trying to wing it, and it hasn’t worked. They tried Pat Beverley, Delon Wright, Andre Jackson Jr., and Taurean Prince. The wing-sized perimeter stopper remains elusive for this team, wholly dependent on second-round picks, undrafted players, and veteran minimums.
Of course, Wiggins isn’t a cure-all. But in 2022, he was Golden State’s defensive MVP in the Finals, spending stretches locking up Tatum and Brown. We've seen him do it. At 6-foot-7 with real length and switchability, he’d instantly become Milwaukee’s best perimeter defender. He doesn’t need the ball, plays within the system, and rebounds well for his position — all ideal for a Bucks team trying to squeeze more out of the Giannis Antetokounmpo-Damian Lillard window.
The key here is Miami’s motivation. If they really want Wiggins off the books to clear 2026 cap room, they might not demand a first-round pick. That opens the door for creative offers.
The most obvious options: the struggling Kyle Kuzma, the ageing Pat Connaughton, and perhaps their future seconds in 2026 (via Utah) and their own second in 2031. Kuzma’s deal is slightly cheaper in the short term and has more flexibility down the line. He also fits the Heat’s “versatile offense-first forward” archetype better than Wiggins does post-injury.
There are obvious cons here. Wiggins is already 30. His playoff stock is down (and frankly, has been for a while now), but his skill set still fits what Milwaukee desperately lacks. And if he pops even a little, his contract becomes a trade chip again down the line.
But the point is that in this scenario, the Milwaukee Bucks are no worse off than they are right now.
The reality is that this is where the Bucks are as it currently stands. One team's trash is another's treasure, and any players let go by rival teams will have to be considered by the cash-strapped front office of Milwaukee.
It's a long shot, but the Bucks need to take all the risks they can after the draft they just had. And if the Heat are open for business, the Bucks need to do their due diligence and try.
Because for all their problems this offseason, Milwaukee’s most realistic upgrade might already be sitting in Miami’s clearance aisle.