A surprising Miami Heat duo dominating next to one another

There are certain duos that just mesh together in expected fashion. A pick and roll combo of Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo. A perimeter defensive wall of Davion Mitchell and Pelle Larsson. Or even the young bigs skill-sets meshing for Nikola Jovic and Kel'el Ware.

Those are duos that anybody can point out in a lineup that is producing clean Miami Heat basketball. But there's an unprecedented duo that's dominating next to one another.

Jaime Jaquez Jr and Andrew Wiggins.

Two guys that just do a lot of things well. No meshing styles aside from just being placed into the correct role when these two find themselves side by side.

When Wiggins landed in Miami at the trade deadline a season ago, Jaquez Jr was struggling big time in his second year. Teams were scouting him out, he hit a wall, and he found himself on the outside of the rotation.

So this hasn't been a long-time building chemistry for the two wings.

Among the players for the Heat that have logged at least 400 minutes next to each other, Wiggins and Jaquez Jr find themselves with the highest NET rating at +9.3.

The next duo isn't even particularly close, as it's Davion Mitchell and Norman Powell next up at +6.8.

Net Ratings in this lineup (yes very small sample)

Dru-Kasparas-Wiggins-Jaquez-Jovic:

126.7 offensive rating / 91.3 defensive rating

Dru-Larsson-Wiggins-Jaquez-Jovic:

148 offensive rating / 96 defensive rating

Keep leaning into what’s working
— Brady Hawk (@BradyHawk305) December 28, 2025

Erik Spoelstra has been mixing things around to find the right player to stagger with that second unit. Tyler Herro and Norman Powell both got their shots as the season went on, but having a number one option scorer with that group leads to natural deferring.

Yet when Wiggins checks in with that group, there's no number one or number two: it's just five guys out there running the floor, playing defense, and straight up hooping freely.

Jaquez Jr finding an offensive rhythm with this unit isn't anything new. This has been the case even pre-Wiggins with this group, but the guy who has seen the real bump is Wiggins' offensive production.

The spot-up three ball is an obvious weapon, but his inside presence has been a real calming presence for this youthful second unit.

"I've cycled through a few guys in that (second unit), and for two nights I like it," Erik Spoelstra said after a recent home win over the Pacers. "(Wiggins) is naturally a settle you down player. Then you have Niko and Jaime that are always running. It's a good contrast."

He also noted that it gives them a different look of size with that lineup. Nikola Jovic at the five doesn't make you feel like a large lineup, but the big wings of Jaquez Jr and Wiggins present a perimeter feel.

Talked to Erik Spoelstra about Wiggins with that second unit last night:

“I’ve cycled through a few guys in that lineup, and for two nights I like it.”

“(Wiggins) is naturally a settle you down player. Then you have Niko and Jaime that are running.”

“It’s a good contrast.” pic.twitter.com/oCEz6Z0I1F
— Brady Hawk (@BradyHawk305) December 28, 2025

"I love playing with Wiggs," Jaime Jaquez said on this duo. "He just does so much. He impacts the game on so many levels. Defensively, offensively...Just to have him in that group with us just settles us in, for sure."

On paper, these two players wouldn't seem like a perfect fit, but they've appeared as so for three games in a row that have resulted in a win.

Spoelstra said he's not breaking away from what is working, and Jaime Jaquez Jr sharing the floor with Andrew Wiggins is something that is working.