The Golden State Warriors are set for a marquee matchup on Tuesday night when they face the Miami Heat in Jimmy Butler's much-anticipated return to Miami. After the former All-Star led the Heat to two NBA Finals appearances, Butler and the Heat didn't see eye to eye after a failed contract negotiation that resulted in his trade to Golden State.
However, Butler was only one part of the trade, as the Heat received forward Andrew Wiggins in return. A crucial member of the Warriors during their 2022 NBA Finals run, head coach Steve Kerr delivered an emotional statement on Wiggins in the lead-up to Tuesday's contest.
“We can’t wait to see him (Wiggins) tomorrow and hopefully he doesn’t give us 42 (points) but I root for that guy and I will for the rest of his career…," Kerr told Willard & Dibs. "Everybody loves Wiggs. Just an incredible human being and we miss him around here.”
Wiggins joined the Warriors via trade during the 2019-20 season, coming from Minnesota alongside a first-round pick for D'Angelo Russell. The pick went on to become forward Jonathan Kuminga, while Wiggins went on to revive his career in Golden State. During the 2021-22 season, Wiggins was named an All-Star starter and capped it off with an NBA Finals victory.
Even though the Heat have been poor since Wiggins' arrival, his play can't be overlooked. Since the deal he's appeared in 13 games, averaging 21.0 points and shooting a career-best 48.0% from the field.
Tip-off at Kaseya Center in Miami is set for 7:30 p.m. EST.
