Both early this offseason and over the last two weeks or so, the Los Angeles Lakers reportedly had talks with the Miami Heat about trading for veteran two-way wing Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins could be the type of player who could elevate the Lakers into the elite tier of the NBA, but the Heat reportedly want a first-round draft pick in return, and that seems to be too steep a price for Los Angeles.
According to insider Brett Siegel, the Heat aren’t that inclined to trade Wiggins, at least right now. But there could be another reason why the forward is seemingly elusive for L.A. to acquire.
An NBA executive said he would be “stunned” if Miami sent Wiggins to the Lakers because team president Pat Riley still holds a grudge against LeBron James.
Via Lakers Daily:
“I would be stunned if Pat did this trade,” the NBA executive said. “You really think Pat wants to help LeBron [James]? He’s still mad about LeBron leaving Miami. I don’t see it happening.”
After James spent his first seven seasons in the league with the Cleveland Cavaliers, he took his talents to Miami in a move that was widely criticized because he announced it during an ESPN special. After four seasons with the Heat, he left to go back to the Cavs in the summer of 2014, and Riley was very upset, although he eventually realized that the superstar “did the right thing.”
The general consensus is that the Lakers need one or two 3-and-D players with athleticism and speed in order to go from a playoff team to a championship-caliber team. They have definitely upgraded this summer by adding center Deandre Ayton and guard Marcus Smart, a former Defensive Player of the Year, but they still lack plus defenders throughout their roster.