If they really do want him, the Los Angeles Lakers extracting Andrew Wiggins from the Miami Heat isn’t going to be easy.
Heat Dream Trade Is Lakers Nightmare
Sure, Wiggins was like a fish out of water in South Beach. After refining his shot-selection to fit the Golden State Warriors needs, caging the brash confidence he displayed with the Minnesota Timberwolves, he was unable to unleash himself offensively. In mid-March, Heat franchise cornerstone Bam Adebayo had to acknowledge that Wiggins wasn’t “comfortable to where he can be fully himself” (h/t Miami Herald reporter Barry Jackson). On top of that, he was dealing with myriad maladies, including hamstring tendinopathy.
The result was Wiggins averaging 19.0 points in 32.1 minutes per game with the Heat. Apparently, he wasn’t the player that was going to become the No. 1 option that they were clamoring for. Of course, as Tyler Herro posted a team-high 23.9 points per game last season, that was technically his role. Yet, he doesn’t have the it factor of a true top dog either. He’s not Sirius in Canis Major, but Procyon in Canis Minor.
How Tyler Herro’s Injury Impacts Andrew Wiggins
With Herro now set to miss the beginning of 2025-26 after undergoing foot surgery, Wiggins will get another opportunity to prove he’s worthy of being a No. 1 pick and a No. 1 option. The irony is that if he doesn’t succeed, his trade value will either stagnate or regress. However, if he does manage to take his game to the next level, it’ll become a conundrum for Heat president Pat Riley.
Maybe Riley really doesn’t want to help Lakers forward LeBron James after the larger-than-life legend left Miami to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014. Yet, multiple franchises –perhaps even both of the ones in L.A. –could be calling him up about Maple Jordan. More importantly, a team may present ‘The Godfather’ with an offer that he can’t refuse.
Godfather Offer
The likelihood of the Heat using Wiggins for a package that would bring them a superstar like Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is remote, but it exists. The probability of them prying Jaylen Brown away from the Boston Celtics isn’t extreme, but it’s high enough. It’s a longshot, there’s enough overlap between Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner‘s weaknesses for the Orlando Magic to pivot away from the latter.
Return To Sender
The pipe dream pipeline isn’t the only one that exists for a Wiggins trade. Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga is sure to be on their radar, no matter what type of contract he agrees to this year, and Golden State could decide having Wiggins the better option. Based on their team needs, swapping the Toronto native for Toronto Raptors wing Brandon Ingram is a deal both sides need to seriously consider.
The Last Word On The Lakers Dream Trade Nightmare
The Lakers are gung ho about Luka Doncic, who they basically consider a dream trade acquisition. However, for all the offensive firepower that he’ll provide, there’s enough concern about how he and Austin Reaves hold up defensively to push for a trade for Wiggins, who evolved into an upper echelon defender after leaving Minnesota.
So, conceptually, the rumors of L.A. angling for Wiggins makes sense. The problem is that it doesn’t make much sense logistically. The Heat aren’t going to just give him away, especially if he increases his trade value.
Frankly, if the Lakers aren’t going to send a first-round pick to the Heat for Wiggins, it’s difficult to see them acquiring him without trading Reaves himself. To that point, a package centered around Rui Hachimura is bound to be a lateral move at best. Yet, Jeanie Buss and Co. would likely only trade Reaves if it netted them a certifiable All-Star, which Wiggins has not shown himself to be.
All in all, it’s a nightmare scenario for Los Angeles, whose perimeter defense could be their Achilles heel in 2025-26.
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