The Athletic’s Jovan Buha, a beat writer for the Los Angeles Lakers, predicts that JJ Redick’s team will be a “legitimate title contender” in the 2025-26 season, provided they can acquire a quality wing defender like Andrew Wiggins.
Such an addition, Buha believes, would ease the workload on LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, who struggled guarding the perimeter in the 2025 playoffs.
Buha made the comments as part of his “boldest prediction” for the 2025-26 season.
“The Lakers, with the right move, can vault themselves up to the Tier 1 [of NBA title teams] and have a legit chance to win a championship,” he told “The Buha’s Block” podcast, before explaining the need to add a player like Wiggins.
Buha then cited reports of the Lakers showing interest in Wiggins.
‘Ideal Player’ to Pair with Big 3
“If the Lakers were to get Andrew Wiggins, or a player of that ilk, a player of that archetype — I think that’s the ideal player to put besides Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves,” Buha continued.
“A two-way wing who can guard multiple positions, including backcourt players and wings, and take that burden off LeBron, Luka, Austin and Rui [Hachmura], turning them into help defenders — but also someone who can complement the skill sets of Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura.”
Buha felt the acquisition of Wiggins would move Smart, Hachmiura, and Co. to more of a bench role, where they’d be “better suited and more useful.”
What Should Lakers Give Up?
Ever since reports surfaced of the Lakers’ potential interest in Wiggins, analysts and fans alike have pondered what Rob Pelinka and Co. should offer the Miami Heat.
The most obvious answer would be to part with the expiring contracts of Rui Hachimura and either Gabe Vincent or Maxi Kleber. Jarred Vanderbilt is another option, but the lanky wing has a player option for the 2026-27 season, meaning teams such as the Heat may be skeptical to take on his contract.
“Rui may be a part of the Miami trade, if there’s a potential trade for Andrew Wiggins,” he said. “Ideal version of that trade would be to keep Rui…. If you can find a guy like Wiggins, with Rui and Smart coming off the bench, I think that puts the Lakers in that next tier [of Western Conference teams].”
Buha added, “So my boldest prediction for the Lakers is that, with the right move, specifically adding a two-way wing, I truly believe the Lakers have a shot to win the championship.”
The Lakers insider conceded that, as constructed, the Lakers won’t be able to compete with the Oklahoma City Thunder, the reigning NBA champions, the Denver Nuggets, and the Houston Rockets — the three prohibitive favorites in the West.
“I currently have the Lakers as the fifth-best team in the West,” he concluded.
During the start of the NBA’s free agency period, several reports suggested that the Lakers had reached out to the Heat with interest in Wiggins. At the time, Buha reported that the Heat were seeking Hachimura, Dalton Knecht, and a first-round pick.
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