Andrew Wiggins Lands With Lakers in 3-Team Trade Proposal

The Los Angeles Lakers, according to insider Marc Stein, have "softened" on their stance of whether to take on long-term contracts that run beyond the 2025-26 season. And with that in mind, Andrew Wiggins of the Miami Heat is one of their prime trade targets.

Wiggins, owner of a championship ring from his years with the Golden State Warriors, has two years remaining on his deal, at $28 million this coming season, and $30 million on a player option for 2026-27.

Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report has proposed a three-team trade that would land Wiggins in LA:

LA Lakers receive:

Andrew Wiggins (from Heat)
Jaime Jaquez Jr. (from Heat)
Drew Timme (from Nets)

Miami Heat receive:

Rui Hachimura (From Lakers)
Dalton Knecht (from Lakers)
$10M trade exception

Brooklyn Nets receive:

Maxi Kleber (from Lakers)
2026 protected Brooklyn second-rounder (from Heat)
$4.6M from Nets
$2M from Lakers

After the loss of elite perimeter defender Dorian Finney-Smith this summer, the Lakers would get an ideal replacement, with more offense to boot, in Wiggins. Jaquez Jr. is a promising talent (coming off a down year) who the Lakers could take a look at this season, with a chance to pick up a team option for one more year if he bounces back to his rookie form.

For the Heat, this hypothetical trade would free up tons of money and put them well under the tax threshold, freeing them up for other moves. Hachimura would give them two things that Wiggins doesn't, per Pincus: "He's a better shooter than Wiggins, and more of a natural power forward (often playing out of position for the Lakers)."

Knecht is another young player with some promise to replace Jacquez, but he comes with two more years of team control after this one.

As for Brooklyn, this would be "a money move," says Pincus, as they need to reach the salary floor, and Kleber's $11M this season would do it.