The Miami Heat could reportedly be open to parting ways with 3-and-D star Andrew Wiggins, with the Los Angeles Lakers earmarked as a destination.
In light of the reports, For The Win’s Bryan Kalbrosky floated a Lakers trade proposal that would see the team part with Rui Hachimura’s expiring contract and either Gabe Vincent or Maxi Kleber to get their desired man, Wiggins.
Lakers would receive: Andrew Wiggins
Heat would receive: Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent or Maxi Kleber
Kalbrosky’s report noted that the Heat, who created a trade exception worth $16.8 million this offseason, wouldn’t have to take back the full $28.2 million owed to Wiggins in the 2025-26 season, making a deal with the Lakers more straightforward.
“There are no one-to-one fits that would work for Wiggins in a trade between the Lakers and the Heat. But one centered around Rui Hachimura is probably the closest that Los Angeles can get to satisfy what Miami would need within the salary cap,” he wrote.
How the Trade Helps Lakers
“Should the Lakers offer Hachimura, who is paid $18.2 million, they could get a deal done so long as they pair him with one more of their players on a “medium” sized contract,” he continued.
“That means that adding on expiring contract of Gabe Vincent (who has previously played for the Heat) or Maxi Kleber to Hachimura would all work to trade for Wiggins.”
As is well documented, the Lakers could open up to $60 million in cap space in 2026, and offloading the contracts of Hachimura and Vincent would be a start. Conversely, since both players are on expiring deals, the Heat may be interested in acquiring them, as they reportedly have ambitious plans of their own in 2026 and 2027.
The Wiggins to L.A. rumors gathered steam following a report from NBA insider Marc Stein, who named the Warriors All-Star as the prototype player the Lakers were eyeing.
“The sort of player who is likely to interest the Lakers? My read (if Miami were to make him available): Andrew Wiggins,” Stein wrote in his newsletter.
Heat Set High Asking Price
“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.”
At the start of the NBA’s free agency period, the Lakers were strongly linked to Wiggins as a potential trade target. However, the Lakers were unwilling to match the Heat’s reported price of Hachimura, Dalton Knecht, and a first-round pick.
“I’ve heard the asking price for Miami was pretty high,” Buha said in a Q&A session, via BasketNews. “We’re talking basically everything or close to everything that the Lakers could offer from a top asset standpoint. So, I don’t think that’s gonna happen.
“I don’t think the Lakers are trading Rui, a first-rounder, and Dalton [Knecht] for Andrew Wiggins. It’s not fair value. It’s not a realistic trade. I think Miami’s playing hardball, and we’ll see if they soften their stance.”
Wiggins arrived in Miami as part of the Jimmy Butler trade ahead of last season’s NBA trade deadline. In 17 games with the Heat, he averaged 19.0 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists on 46/36/73 shooting splits.
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