The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly unlikely to pull off an Andrew Wiggins trade before the start of the 2025-26 season.
According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, the Miami Heat prefer to start the season with Wiggins on the roster, and could explore trades closer to the Feb. deadline.
Since he was traded to the Miami Heat, Wiggins was involved in a lot of trade chatter this offseason,” Siegel wrote on September 17. Those same rumors from July have once again surfaced before training camp and the preseason, specifically involving the Lakers‘ longstanding interest in the 3-and-D wing.
Right now, the Heat don’t hold much of a desire to trade Wiggins and are operating under the mindset of waiting to see how things play out during the first few months of the regular season, sources said. Miami has held a high asking price for the former first-overall pick, one that the Lakers haven’t been willing to meet.
What is Heat’s Asking Price?
As Siegel noted, the Heat have reportedly set a “high asking price” for Wiggins, which includes a first-round draft asset and expiring contracts. To meet the same, the Lakers would likely have to part with their only tradeable first-round pick (2031 or 2032), along with the expiring contracts of Rui Hachimura and Maxi Kleber or Gabe Vincent.
Siegel noted that the Lakers will “undoubtedly explore all avenues” to improve their chances at a championship closer to the trade deadline, especially since they have over $100 million in expiring contracts that they can use in potential trades. The writer cited last year’s trade deadline when the Lakers swung for the fences to land Luka Doncic.
Expect much of the same from Rob Pelinka and the Lakers before the trade deadline in February, specifically as it pertains to adding more talent on the wing who can play off the ball and make an impact defensively,” added Siegel.
Best Case Scenario for Lakers
Lakers insider Anthony Irwin earlier suggested that the best package in a potential Andrew Wiggins trade would not include Hachimura, as the Lakers view the Japanese-born forward as a key piece of their core. However, the Heat have reportedly been steadfast on receiving Hachimura’s expiring contract as part of the deal.
“Ideally, the Lakers find a way to move Maxi Kleber’s contract, Gabe Vincent’s contract, and Dalton Knecht’s contract, maybe with another minimum-type deal,” Irwin said on his podcast on September 8.
“From a basketball standpoint, that’s the best outcome. You don’t want to trade away your sixth-best player when you’re on the outside looking in at the true contenders.”
The likes of Jovan Buha have suggested that adding Wiggins would instantly move the Lakers to the Tier 1 of title contenders in the Western Conference, along with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets. Buha is convinced that the Lakers‘ point-of-attack and perimeter defense remains a worry, which a player like Wiggins — who helped the Golden State Warriors win a championship — can solve.
Lakers Get Bad News on Potential Andrew Wiggins Trade