The Miami Heat have set a high asking price for Andrew Wiggins, a stance that has cooled early trade talks with the Los Angeles Lakers, according to multiple reports.
Anthony Irwin of ClutchPoints reported on Monday that Miamiâs demands included forward Rui Hachimura, Dalton Knecht, its former guard Gabe Vincent and a future first-round pick in exchange for Wiggins. Talks fell apart after the Lakers refused to part with both Hachimura and their lone movable first-rounder.
âOne story and the one that I heard more directly, was that the Miami Heat were asking for Rui Hachimura,â Irwin said on his podcast, The Lakers Lounge. âThey were asking for a first-round pick. They were asking for Gabe Vincent, whom they like, and potentially also Dalton Knecht. The Lakers, I think, would be fine moving on from Dalton for Wiggins. They would obviously also be fine moving on from Gabe Vincent for Andrew Wiggins.
“And I also think they would probably be mostly fine moving off of Rui Hachimura for Andrew Wiggins, but they definitely did not want to include Rui and the one first-round pick that they can move this season. And so that was where again I heard directly that those talks kind of broke down.â
Stein: Lakers Could Revisit Andrew Wiggins Interest
Irwinâs update came on the heels of longtime NBA insider Marc Steinâs report that Los Angeles remains interested in acquiring a two-way wing before the Feb. 5 trade deadline. Stein identified Wiggins as a player who could raise the Lakersâ ceiling if Miami reconsiders its position.
âI donât think that means theyâll swing a deal for just anyone between now and the Feb. 5 trade deadline, but league sources say L.A. would indeed have interest in adding a two-way swingman who can raise their ceiling,â Stein wrote in his The Stein Line newsletter. âMy read (if Miami were to make him available): Andrew Wiggins.â
Stein added that the Lakersâ interest is tied to whether the Heat prioritize financial flexibility and look to reduce payroll in the coming months.
Heat Hold Firm
Getty Andrew Wiggins of the Miami Heat controls the ball against Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics.
So far, Miami has shown little inclination to move Wiggins. The Miami Heraldâs Anthony Chiang and Barry Jackson reported that the Heat plan to retain Wiggins, with Jackson noting that ânothingâ offered so far has been âenticing.â
Wiggins, acquired by Miami from Golden State, averaged 19.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.0 blocks in 17 games for the Heat to finish the regular season. However, his performance dropped sharply during Miamiâs 4-0 first-round sweep by the Cleveland Cavaliers, falling to 11.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, which may have influenced discussions about his future.
Wiggins, 30, is under contract for two more years, with a $30.2 million player option for the 2026-27 season.
Balancing Competing Priorities
For the Heat, the decision over Wiggins represents a balancing act between financial flexibility and competitive depth. Trading him could open up more cap flexibility, but it would also strip Miami of a player with championship experience and defensive versatility.
On the Lakersâ side, analysts such as Jovan Buha of The Athletic have stressed the importance of landing a player like Wiggins to bolster their chances of joining the leagueâs top tier.
âIf the Lakers were to get Andrew Wiggins, or a player of that archetype â thatâs the ideal player to put beside Luka [DonÄiÄ], LeBron [James] and Austin Reaves,â Buha said on the Sept. 9 episode of Buhaâs Block podcast.
For now, the Heat appear content to hold their position. But with the Lakers monitoring closely and the trade deadline less than five months away, Miami may soon face a decision on whether to keep Wiggins as part of a playoff push or explore a deal that could reshape both their roster and their financial outlook.
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