As the trade deadline approaches, the Los Angeles Lakers have continued to struggle mightily in three areas: defense, shooting and production from the “others”. Acquiring Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins would be the perfect step in the right direction.
Why Andrew Wiggins Works
The Lakers have played almost 40 games and, despite dealing with injuries, have established their identity. Their 117.1 defensive rating is bottom five in the league, they shoot a league-worst 33.8% from three-point range and have three players among the top 40 in usage rate.
Wiggins is a productive, low-usage two-way wing who does exactly what the Lakers need.
With a usage rate that ranks 143rd in the league, Wiggins scores 16 points per game on an efficient 41% from three-point range while averaging 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks per game.
Wiggins has proven he can perform on the biggest stage. In the 2022 NBA Finals, his two-way reputation was on full display.
In six games, he was the Golden State Warriors’ second-leading scorer (18.3 per game) and leading rebounder (8.8 per game) and shot blocker (1.5 per game), all while matching up against Boston Celtics superstar wings Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Wiggins is experienced at playing off the ball, being productive and efficient with limited touches, and defending at a high level. He perfectly fits the mold the Lakers desperately need.
What the Lakers Would Give Up
Wiggins has two years left and about $56 million left ($28 million annually) on his contract. The Lakers would likely have to pair Rui Hachimura with either Maxi Kleber or Gabe Vincent to get a deal done.
Hachimura, Kleber and Vincent all hold expiring contracts, so they give the Heat offseason flexibility that Wiggins’ contract doesn’t allow.
However, the Heat are currently the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference and are very much in the playoff picture. With that said, any package that includes Kleber likely wouldn’t entice the Heat enough to finalize a deal.
The Lakers would miss Hachimura’s 12.7 points per game and 44.5% three-point shooting, but it’s clear they need production on both sides of the ball. Wiggins can provide the same, if not more, offensive output while being a better defender.
The Purple and Gold also may not be able to re-sign Hachimura this offseason.
Austin Reaves recently declined his player option for the 2026-27 season, and he’s due for a payday. The Lakers will need as much cap space as possible to retain their burgeoning star.
If Hachimura demands more than his current contract, the Lakers likely won’t be able to re-sign him. They should try to get a return on his value rather than losing him for nothing in free agency, and Andrew Wiggins would be the perfect return.
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