According to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, the Los Angeles Lakers could be interested in trading for Andrew Wiggins if the Miami Heat make him available. And if the Heat do decide to trade Wiggins, their top priority in a Lakers deal should be to strip every asset possible from LA.
“The sort of player who is likely to interest the Lakers? My read (if Miami were to make him available): Andrew Wiggins,” Stein wrote. “Wiggins, 30, will earn $28.2 million this season and holds a $30.2 million player option for 2026-27. I wouldn't have classified him as a potential purple-and-gold target before Dončić's long-term future was secured, but things are different now. So my sense is that the Lakers would have interest if the Heat, in coming weeks or months, decide to prioritize financial flexibility and look to reduce payroll.”
Miami could get a sneakily solid package from the Lakers if they send out Wiggins, but they need to be careful.
What could Heat get from Lakers in Andrew Wiggins trade?
In the Lakers’ ideal world, they would probably be sending Gabe Vincent, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Maxi Kleber to the Heat in exchange for Wiggins, attaching draft capital to make it worth it for Miami. But that’s not enough.
Wiggins is a very valuable player type in today’s NBA. He’s a quality three-point shooter and an impressive defender. That type of two-way play isn’t easy to find, and it’s exactly what the Lakers should be looking to put alongside Luka Doncic moving forward.
First and foremost, if the Heat were to trade Wiggins to the Lakers, they should demand at least one first-round pick in return. LA’s picks may not be as valuable anymore because of Doncic’s place in their long-term future, but still, adding picks in any capacity is ideal.
On top of that, Miami should be looking to get Dalton Knecht in the deal. Even though having him and Tyler Herro could be a bit repetitive, talent is talent, and the Lakers already showed a willingness to trade him last year in the nullified trade with the Charlotte Hornets.
And if Miami really wanted to push the envelope, they could also ask for Rui Hachimura, who is entering the final year of his contract.
In an ideal world, the Heat could get back all three of those assets, though that seems relatively unlikely. However, getting back a first-rounder and one of Hachimura or Knecht, plus matching salary, should be the bar for Miami in a potential Wiggins trade.