Q: Ira, Andrew Wiggins feels like Trevor Ariza, a player who showed up late in a season, didn’t make a difference, and then was gone. What are the odds that Wiggins returns? – Mike.
A: I would say 50-50, and likely would favor the under at this point, if only because Andrew Wiggins’ contract is in the sweet spot of what is needed to make a trade work. With Pat Riley talking more about retooling than rebuilding, it would appear that the most likely avenue toward such an approach would be to swap out Andrew’s contract for more of a consistent offensive threat. Such a move also would get the Heat off of Wiggins’ $30 million player option for 2026-27 and the accompanying uncertainty with that salary. At the end, it felt as if Andrew was merely passing through, for a team that ended the season very much in need of a facelift, if not an overhaul. This is not to scapegoat, considering Wiggins’ injuries during his Heat tenure, but more about creating a fresh start.
Q: Ira, you wrote that Nikola Jovic is in Serbia. Doesn’t he need as much time in the Heat gym as possible? – Thomas.
A: First, let the guy go home, for goodness sake. Beyond that, what Nikola Jovic needs is time in a gym, which he apparently is getting during this time in Serbia. Sometimes a different voice and a different approach can bring out different elements in a player. Nikola working in Serbia is no different than all the Heat players who depart to various locations in the offseason to work with their personal coaches. As long as a player is committed to improvement, the venue should be the least of the concerns.
Q: Are the Celtics done? – David.
A: As a contender for next season? Possibly, as Jayson Tatum deals with his Achilles tear. But even with Boston needing to shed salary, there are ample assets there to easily create an eventual fresh start, perhaps trading win-now players who draft capital. It will, however, be interesting to see the approach with new ownership.
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