NBA Trade Rumors: Lakers inquire about Heat’s 6-foot-7 natural wing defender as potential fit alongside Luka Doncic & LeBron James

After a first-round exit from the playoffs, the LA Lakers are looking to bolster their roster for the season ahead. While the team’s primary focus will be on acquiring a starting center, the team has also reportedly inquired about Andrew Wiggins’ availability.

Lakers beat writer Anthony Irwin broke the news on Tuesday, indicating that the Lakers’ front office, led by Rob Pelinka, reached out to Pat Riley’s Miami Heat to gauge the team’s asking price on Wiggins.

A similar report was published by Brett Siegel on Tuesday, who reported that there are several teams interested in Wiggins, not just the Lakers.

"Teams are wondering what is next with the Miami Heat after striking out on a Durant trade," Siegel wrote on ClutchPoints.

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Wiggins, who was traded by the Golden State Warriors right before February's trade deadline, played 17 games for Miami this season, averaging 19.0 points per game.

If Wiggins had maintained that average over a full season, it would have been his best scoring mark since 2019-20, when he split time between Minnesota and Golden State.

With just one guaranteed year left on his contract, and a player option during the 2026-27 season, whatever team trades for Wiggins will likely look to extend him rather than trading for a player who will opt out around this time next summer.

Looking at the latest Miami Heat trade rumors amid reports of LA Lakers inquiring about Andrew Wiggins

Heading into night one of the NBA draft on Wednesday, the NBA community is eager to see how Pat Riley and the Miami Heat will play their cards.

As Brett Siegel reported, after striking out on a Kevin Durant trade, the team is eager to remain active throughout this summer.

While Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, whom Riley said he hopes stay with Miami for the rest of their careers, are considered untouchable, we've already heard reports of Kel'el Ware and Jaime Jaquez Jr. being available.

In addition, according to Siegel, the team is willing to move the No. 20 pick.

Considering it sounds like the team's main focus right now is on acquiring a valuable asset to pair with Adebayo and Herro, it seems unlikely that Miami will attempt to trade up in the draft.

Instead, look for the team to use some combination of the assets at their disposal, like the No. 20 pick, Andrew Wiggins, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Haywood Highsmith or Kel'el Ware to land a starter this summer.

With the Eastern Conference looking wide open next season following blows to the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers, only time will tell if Miami is able to put together a roster capable of making waves.

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About the author

Evan Bell

Evan Bell is a journalist specializing in the NBA and NHL at Sportskeeda, whose love for the game stems from a childhood spent watching the Chicago Bulls. He has been there through their highs and lows, from the Jordan era to the exciting Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah years.

Evan finds the 82-game season and the intensity of playoff basketball exhilarating, and he also revels in the offseason drama. Phil Jackson stands out as his favorite coach, whom he admires for his composed leadership and success in managing dynamic personalities like Dennis Rodman.

To deliver top-quality content, Evan fact-checks information while diligently keeping up with the action year-round.

When he's not writing, Evan follows tennis and Greek football, and also plays basketball and tennis.

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