An NBA trade idea sending Rui Hachimura and Dalton Knecht from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Miami Heat has been created.
NBA writer Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report created the following trade idea between the Lakers, Heat and Brooklyn Nets:
Los Angeles Lakers get: Andrew Wiggins, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Drew Timme
Miami Heat get: Rui Hachimura, Dalton Knecht, $10 million trade exception (Wiggins)
Brooklyn Nets get: Maxi Kleber, 2026 protected Brooklyn second-rounder (from Heat), $4.6 million (from Nets), $2 million (from Lakers)
The Lakers are interested in trading for Wiggins, which is why Pincus created this NBA trade idea.
“The Lakers aggregate Hachimura, Knecht, and Kleber to acquire Wiggins and Jaquez, while Brooklyn uses cap room to absorb Kleber’s salary,” Pincus wrote. “Miami gets Knecht via the Jimmy Butler trade exception (leaving a $3.8 million balance), although the team could choose to use its Haywood Highsmith exception instead. Timme, on a minimum contract, remains non-guaranteed on L.A.’s books.
“The 2026 second-rounder is a token gesture, with Miami returning the Nets’ pick (which was never likely to convey with top-55 protection).”
The Heat lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the 2025 playoffs in four games, the Lakers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round in five games and the Nets missed the playoffs.
Miami president Pat Riley has been busy this offseason. He traded Kyle Anderson and Kevin Love to the Utah Jazz, acquired Norman Powell from the Los Angeles Clippers, traded Duncan Robinson to the Detroit Pistons for Simone Fontecchio, traded Highsmith to the Nets and re-signed Davion Mitchell.
“Hachimura, who is on an expiring deal, is eligible for an extension if he proves to be a strong fit,” Pincus wrote. “He’s a better shooter than Wiggins, and more of a natural power forward (often playing out of position for the Lakers). Knecht is also a shooting upgrade over Jaquez. Neither was outstanding last year, but the former has a longer runway on his contract, going into his second season.
“The second-round pick is immaterial, and the cash is the vehicle to reroute Kleber to Brooklyn, instead of eating Miami’s immediate tax savings.”