The Los Angeles Lakers will explore a series of options to bolster their roster for a deeper playoff run next year.
Several names have been drawn up but the front office will have to find the appropriate fit both in style and market cap. According to BasketNews’ Orazio Cauchi, who proposed a trade back in February before the trade deadline, one intriguing option is acquiring Andrew Wiggins from the Miami Heat.
The Lakers may want to visit a Wiggins deal this summer.
“If the Lakers want to make a strong push for the NBA title, Andrew Wiggins of the Miami Heat would be a primary candidate,” Cauchi wrote. “The Canadian wing has the experience and pedigree to provide immediate contributions on both offense and defense. Wiggins has already won a title with the Golden State Warriors, proving to be a key player in Steve Kerr’s system.”
Wiggins, 31, is now a seasoned veteran in the league and provides the kind of versatile wing addition that the Lakers need. A deal could materialize if the Heat seek financial flexibility as they are rumored to be chasing a big move for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Lakers’ Pursuit of Wiggins: Good or Bad?
GettyMiami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins is still deciding whether or not he will opt in to the $30.16 million player option for the 2026-27 season.
Wiggins joined the Heat before the 2025 trade deadline, and he played his first full season for the franchise this year. He is in the final year of a four-year contract he signed with the Golden State Warriors in 2022. However, he holds a player option for 2026-27.
If Wiggins opts out, he will be an unrestricted free agent next offseason. The Heat would not want to lose him for free then. His championship experience and two-way potential make him appealing to contenders like the Lakers.
For the Lakers to get Wiggins, they would likely offer expiring or manageable contracts that help Miami reshape its roster. Cauchi drew up a possible trade framework that could work. But because Gabe Vincent is no longer a Laker, a realistic package the Lakers could offer the Heat is Rui Hachimura, Dalton Knecht and a 2032 second-round pick.
Hachimura will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason as such, the Lakers would need to re-sign him first to include him in any trade. Knecht, a young guard with untapped potential, could entice Miami.
This deal would hand the Heat good pieces should they choose to pursue Antetokounmpo.
Why a Deal for Wiggins Would Be Worth It for the Lakers
GettyGeneral Manager Rob Pelinka and Head coach JJ Redick
Wiggins at 6-foot-7 will bring needed size to the wings. The Lakers have LeBron James but he too will enter unrestricted free agency this summer. Even if the Lakers convince James to remain, he is 41 and there is only so much he can do.
Wiggins will represent a kind of low-risk, high-reward addition for a Lakers team chasing contention. He has the playoff and championship pedigree most notably with the Warriors in 2022.
Salary-wise, it is a win for the Lakers as they don’t have to go overboard to fit Wiggins. Potentially moving Knecht and Hachimura would give them all the cap space they want.
Wiggins played 68 regular-season games for Miami this season. He averaged 15.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists which is decent considering that he is behind the likes of Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo as the Heat’s main usage players.
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