The Los Angeles Lakers seem ready to build around Luka Doncic, and one possible trade with the Miami Heat would add the exact type of player they are missing.
The Los Angeles Lakers, under the suggestion of Luka Doncic, added Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, and Jake LaRavia to the roster this summer, shoring up their depth behind Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves.
Interestingly, all three additions are signed to two-year deals, suggesting that the Lakers want as much flexibility as possible in 2027 to throw money at Reaves and other free agents.
With a center, shooter, and defensive-minded point guard in place, the Lakers really only need a wing defender to replace Dorian Finney-Smith, and then it would be hard to find a fault with their roster. A possible deal with the Miami Heat solves their problem.
As things stand, the Lakers will trot out Doncic, Reaves, James, Ayton, and Rui Hachimura as their starters. Hachimura is by far the worst of those five, and the Lakers could add a more versatile defender and shooting threat in his place.
The Miami Heat, meanwhile, seem poised to compete in the Eastern Conference after adding Norman Powell, but with Powell and Herro eating minutes in the backcourt, the Heat need to add strong defenders to alleviate some responsibility from Bam Adebayo.
A deal with the Lakers might give them the depth that they need.
Full Mock Trade Details
- Lakers receive: Andrew Wiggins
- Heat receive: Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, 2028 first-round pick swap
With Hachimura in the final year of his contract, the Heat gain roughly $18 million in cap space next summer. Neither Hachimura nor Vanderbilt are as talented as Wiggins, although a pick-swap should be able to sweeten the pot.
With a starting five of Reaves, Doncic, Wiggins, James, and Ayton, the Lakers will have successfully met all of their needs for the immediate future. Depth pieces like Smart, LaRavia, Dalton Knecht, and Jaxson Hayes can still play a big role, as well.
Critically, Wiggins, like Ayton, Smart, and LaRavia, has only two seasons left on his deal. By 2027, the Lakers will easily be able to add a max player next to Doncic, assuming they don’t throw a massive offer at Reaves.
James only has one season left on his contract, and assuming that the Lakers don’t sign him again, retaining Reaves next summer should be fairly easy, and Wiggins’ salary will be shed the following season, allowing the Lakers to continue to build around their new core.
In an effort to build around Doncic long-term without trading James, adding Wiggins is a no-brainer.
