Lakers Restart! Hello, Wiggins! A 3-for-1 Trade Proposal Revealed

Insider Sidery:The Lakers and Heat have restarted trade discussions about Wiggins...

In September, the Lakers were eager to send the 2024 first-round 17th pick Knect in exchange for Wiggins, but the Heat demanded a future unprotected first-round pick as part of the return, which halted talks since that time.

This season, 30-year-old Wiggins is averaging 15.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1 steal, and 1.1 blocks per game, shooting 47.1% from the field and making 1.7 three-pointers per game at a 37.9% clip. His current contract runs through summer 2027, with a salary of $28.22 million this season and $30.17 million next season. The Heat currently hold a 16-15 record, placing eighth in the Eastern Conference.

As for the Lakers, they stand fourth in the Western Conference with a 19-10 record, just 2.5 games ahead of the seventh-place Suns. Since the season started, their defense has consistently been problematic,allowing an average of 117.4 points per game (19th in the league) and ranking 26th in defensive efficiency at 118.1, among other stats.

Therefore, the Lakers have long desired a defensive stopper, and my guy Wiggins, known league-wide as a two-way wing and having championship experience as a core forward with the Warriors in 2022, clearly fits the Lakers’ needs perfectly. Unfortunately, the Heat front office isn’t easily convinced; it might require a first-round pick to make the deal happen.

Earlier, American media revealed a specific trade proposal as follows:

Lakers receive Wiggins;

Heat receive Rui Hachimura ($18.26 million, contract year) + Knect ($4.01 million) + 1 first-round pick.

Besides Wiggins, the Lakers are also interested in Pelicans’ wing Jones ($13.94 million), but he is pricier, reportedly demanding two first-round picks.

This 27-year-old player is currently averaging 9.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.7 steals per game this season, shooting 34.4% from three with 1.4 made triples per game. He was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team last year.

The NBA trade deadline for the 2025-26 season is on February 6, 2026, Beijing time. Can we expect the Lakers to make some waves before then?