The Lakers don’t need reminding how tight the Western Conference race will be this season. Every move matters, and the front office has its eye on a player who could tilt the balance: Andrew Wiggins.
The idea gained traction after Anthony Irwin of ClutchPoints reported that Miami’s asking price has made negotiations complicated. On his Lakers Lounge podcast, Irwin laid out the framework: Rui Hachimura, a first-round pick, Gabe Vincent, and possibly Dalton Knecht. Los Angeles pushed back, unwilling to package both Rui and that all-important first-rounder.
That’s where things stand: stalled. And with only one tradable first-round pick left in their arsenal, the Lakers don’t have much room to sweeten the deal.
Heat’s Price Keeps Talks in Check
Miami isn’t exactly rushing to move Wiggins. Jovan Buha of The Athletic called the price “steep,” while Miami Herald reporters Anthony Chiang and Barry Jackson noted the Heat plan to keep him unless blown away by an offer. Jackson went further, writing that “nothing” pitched so far has been “enticing.”
Marc Stein added important context in his Stein Line newsletter. He said Los Angeles would “indeed have interest” in Wiggins if the Heat decided to prioritize flexibility and cut payroll. That shift hasn’t happened yet, so the Lakers are waiting.
Why Wiggins Matters for L.A.
For Darvin Ham’s squad, Wiggins checks every box: defense on multiple positions, a reliable scorer who doesn’t need the ball constantly, and a chance to take defensive pressure off LeBron James and Austin Reaves.
“If the Lakers were to get Andrew Wiggins, or a player of that ilk … that’s the ideal complement,”Buha said on his Sept. 9 podcast. In other words, this is the type of move that could vault the Lakers into that Tier 1 conversation with Denver, Oklahoma City, and Dallas.
The Big Question: Who Blinks First?
So here’s where it gets tricky. Miami doesn’t have incentive to lower its price, while the Lakers can’t overpay with so little draft capital left. For now, it’s a stalemate.
The Lakers will keep exploring, hoping for a window where Miami shifts priorities. Until then, Wiggins feels like the piece that fits – just not the piece that’s available.
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