The Los Angeles Lakers are once again circling the trade market in search of a two-way wing, with multiple insiders pointing to Andrew Wiggins as a front-office priority.
According to Lakers All Day Everyday, citing The Athletic’s Dan Woike, “The Lakers are expected to be aggressive on the trade market — with Andrew Wiggins emerging as a target.”
Months ago, Woike had downplayed links between the two sides, but his reporting has shifted. He noted that Wiggins has become “a more desirable player” to the Lakers, particularly if the price is right. “It’s unclear whether that kind of package could net Wiggins, who proved he could be a valuable piece on a championship team in 2022 with the Golden State Warriors,” Woike wrote.
Lakers’ Renewed Interest in Wiggins
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Marc Stein echoed that sentiment, reporting that Los Angeles “would have interest if the Heat, in coming weeks or months, decide to prioritize financial flexibility and look to reduce payroll.” Wiggins, who averaged 19 points and 3.3 assists on 45.8% shooting after his midseason trade to Miami, carries a $28.2 million salary that has pushed the Heat close to the first luxury tax apron.
“The sort of player who is likely to interest the Lakers? My read (if Miami were to make him available): Andrew Wiggins,” Stein wrote in The Stein Line.
Still, cost has been the sticking point. Anthony Irwin of ClutchPoints reported that Miami’s asking price included Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, a first-round pick, and potentially Dalton Knecht — a package the they balked at. “The Lakers would probably be fine moving off Dalton or Vincent for Wiggins, and maybe even Rui, but they definitely did not want to include Rui and the first-round pick together,” Irwin explained on his Lakers Lounge podcast.
Highsmith as a Cheaper Alternative
If the Heat hold firm, Los Angeles could pivot to a lower-cost option in Haywood Highsmith, who was moved to Brooklyn earlier this summer in a salary-saving deal. Highsmith, 28, averaged 6.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and shot 38% from three in 74 games last season while proving capable of defending multiple positions.
Irwin suggested he could be on the radar if Wiggins proves too costly: “If Wiggins costs an arm and a leg, does it make more sense to bring in Highsmith for a fraction of the cost? That could be something the Lakers consider, or do they try to bring in both? There is no such thing as too much wing depth in the modern NBA.”
Highsmith, however, is rehabbing a torn meniscus suffered this offseason and won’t be eligible to be traded again until mid-December.
Patience May Be Key
Irwin drew parallels to last year’s Dorian Finney-Smith deal, when the Lakers ultimately acquired the veteran forward at a discounted price. “By the regular season the price dropped further and further until LA was able to get Dorian for D’Angelo Russell’s expiring contract,” he said.
The difference, however, is that “Wiggins is a better player at this stage of his career than Dorian. So the price for him is higher than D’Angelo Russell’s expiring contract and some second-round draft capital.”
A Potential Missing Piece
Despite the roadblocks, the Lakers’ interest in Wiggins hasn’t waned. The 30-year-old wing, under contract through 2026–27, has championship pedigree and the defensive versatility the Lakers have lacked on the perimeter.
Jovan Buha argued that Wiggins could be the type of addition to push Los Angeles into the top tier of the Western Conference. “If the LA was to get Andrew Wiggins—or a player of that ilk—that’s the ideal complement to Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura,” Buha said on his Buha’s Block podcast. “With the right move, they can vault themselves into Tier 1 and have a legit chance to win a championship.”
For now, the Lakers appear to be holding firm, waiting for the market to soften. But with both Stein and Woike suggesting the organization will act “aggressively” when the right opportunity presents itself, the possibility of Wiggins in purple and gold remains firmly on the table.