The Los Angeles Lakers have made it clear: they’re in win-now mode. After the franchise-altering trade that brought Luka Doncic to Los Angeles, their roster remains top-heavy, shallow in depth, and lacking the kind of versatile two-way wings needed to survive a brutal Western Conference.
That’s why Lakers insider Jovan Buha floated a bold and arguably overpaid trade proposal on his latest podcast episode, one centered around Andrew Wiggins.
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Andrew Wiggins
Miami Heat Receive: Rui Hachimura, Dalton Knecht, 2031 first-round pick
Yes, you read that right. The Miami Heat, who recently acquired Wiggins from the Golden State Warriors, would flip him to the Lakers for a young rotation player, a promising rookie, and a distant unprotected first-round pick. It’s the kind of trade that screams desperation from the Lakers, but one that Buha argues could address their most glaring flaw.
Buha’s Reasoning:
“I think they just need, like, another wing defender type within the mix and ideally someone who can knock down an open three, because they don’t have a lot of those types off the bench. So if you could do that, I think you at least have a puncher’s chance or are in the mix in the West.”
“Again, I think it’s hard to be in that mix without doing a more serious trade. Like, if it were up to me, I’m putting Rui, Dalton, and the first on the table.”
“I think Andrew Wiggins is an overpay, but, like, what else is out there that’s better than Andrew Wiggins that I could potentially get with that package? And if I could get something, I’d do it.”
Buha’s logic is grounded in positional scarcity. The Lakers have an offense (Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Austin Reaves), and they have some defense in spurts, but they lack balance. Wiggins, despite his recent inconsistency, checks two critical boxes: perimeter defense and spot-up shooting.
Last season, he averaged 19.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists on 45.8% shooting from the field and 36.0% from beyond the arc for the Heat. While those numbers aren’t spectacular, they show that he still holds value as a two-way starter, especially in playoff settings.
Let’s be clear: the Lakers would be giving up a lot. Rui Hachimura, who posted 13.1 points and 5.0 rebounds on an impressive 50.9% shooting clip and 41.3% from three, is one of the more efficient forwards in the league. He’s also in the final year of his deal, making $18.2 million, a manageable salary.
Then there’s Dalton Knecht, a rookie who’s already shown he can be a microwave scorer, averaging 9.1 points on 46.1% shooting and 37.6% from deep.
Add a 2031 first-round pick on top, one of the few remaining picks the Lakers can actually trade, and you’ve got a package that most execs would hesitate to move for a player with Wiggins’ recent history of injuries and inconsistency.
But this is the reality for a team that’s boxed into a corner. With Luka now in town, and LeBron still on the roster, the Lakers have no choice but to push all their chips forward.
Andrew Wiggins isn’t the Finals MVP-type player some thought he was in 2022. But in the right role, he still can be an elite wing stopper and third or fourth option. His $28.2 million salary this year and $30 million next year are steep, but for a team that’s already all-in, it may be worth the tax hit.
Wiggins would slide into the starting small forward spot, allowing LeBron to play more at the 4 and preserve energy for the postseason. His ability to guard multiple positions and hit corner threes is exactly what the Lakers lacked in their first-round flameout last year.
Across the league, there’s a growing belief that the Lakers were handed Doncic in a lopsided deal, one that tilted the balance of power in the West. As a result, rival teams are holding Los Angeles to a higher standard in trade talks, routinely demanding more in return. It’s what some execs are calling the “Lakers tax.”
That principle is magnified when dealing with the Heat, who’ve built a reputation for squeezing every ounce of value in trades. Miami rarely moves a piece unless they feel they’ve won the deal on leverage alone. So yes, the Lakers may be overpaying for Wiggins. But that’s the price of being the Lakers in today’s NBA climate.
The Lakers are scrambling. After the Doncic trade, they lost out on several top center targets. Al Horford appears to be heading to Golden State. Clint Capela is heading to the Rockets and Brook Lopez is joining the Clippers.
Only Deandre Ayton has been signed after a buyout from the Blazers, finally giving them their starting center.
Jaxson Hayes has re-signed, but the Lakers still lack a reliable big to complement Deandre Ayton or play in his absence. They’ve also reportedly fallen behind in the De’Anthony Melton sweepstakes.
This Wiggins proposal must be viewed in that light not as a luxury move, but as a survival one. The Lakers know they don’t have the assets to chase another star. And if they don’t act fast, they might not even have the pieces to add a capable role player.
Yes, the trade is an overpay. Yes, it feels like the Lakers are once again throwing assets at a short-term fix. But in today’s West, where the Thunder, Nuggets, and Timberwolves all boast depth and defensive versatility, standing pat is a bigger risk.
If Andrew Wiggins can stay healthy and buy into his role, this may not just be a panic move. It could be the trade that quietly balances the Lakers’ top-heavy roster and gives them a real shot at surviving into May.
Still, it’s a big “if.”
