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Lakers head coach JJ Redick and Rob Pelinka, President of Basketball Operations and General Manager, arrive for press conference
The Los Angeles Lakers pursued a trade for Miami Heat’s Andrew Wiggins this past offseason, and will reportedly do the same ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline.
Per LakersDaily’s Ashish Mathur, the franchise continues to have a strong interest in Wiggins, a former NBA champion, for his ability to be a stout perimeter defender.
“Wiggins has many fans within the Lakers organization,” Mathur wrote on Dec. 4.
“He’s an athletic wing who can defend at a high level, get to the rim at will and finish in heavy traffic and shoot from beyond the arc.”
Pat Riley Factor
The report added that Heat president Pat Riley may be unwilling to do business with the Lakers due to an alleged falling-out with LeBron James more than a decade ago.
“…Many people around the NBA remain skeptical that the Lakers can pull a deal off,” Mathur wrote, adding that the odds of Riley helping the Purple & Gold franchise are “very, very low.”
“It’s been over a decade, but Riley still hasn’t gotten over LeBron James leaving the Heat for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the summer of 2014, sources said.”
ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel reported last week that the Heat are seeking a future first-round pick and two rotational players in a potential Andrew Wiggins trade.
The Lakers can technically match that offer, but it remains to be seen if they go all-in on Wiggins. The Rob Pelinka-led front office is reportedly prioritizing cap space for 2027 when Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and a host of other stars can become free agents. Since Wiggins has a player option for 2026-27, the Lakers may view him as a low-risk addition.
Lakers Not a Giannis Suitor?
While Wiggins could realistically be a Laker by February, the same can’t be said for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Many insiders believe the Lakers don’t have the assets to pull off a trade for the two-time MVP, who could potentially be available ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline. The Lakers own only one first-round pick, and their most attractive trade chip — Austin Reaves — may be off the table due to his impending free agency in 2026.
Former NBA player Chandler Parsons feels the Bucks have nothing to gain from trading Antetokounmpo to them.
“The Lakers have nothing that the Bucks will want for Giannis,” Parsons told FanDuel TV’s “Run it Back” this week. “It’s physically impossible for the Lakers. I just don’t see it. I don’t see the pieces coming back to equal Giannis… don’t see this happening.”
While the Knicks remain the betting favorites, the Spurs have risen to the second spot in recent days, followed by the Hawks, Raptors and Rockets.
Other Lakers Trade Targets
Besides Wiggins, the Lakers have been linked to New Orleans Pelicans wing Herb Jones and Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford as realistic midseason trade targets.
ClutchPoints reported on Wednesday that the Lakers are among a host of teams who will pursue Jones, a former All-Defense First Team selection, ahead of the deadline.
The Lakers, who rank 19th defensively, could definitely use either Jones or Wiggins at the wings to help the trio of LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Sai Mohan covers the NBA for Heavy.com. Based in Portugal, Sai is a seasoned sports writer with nearly two decades of publishing experience, including bylines at Yardbarker, FanSided’s Hoops Habit, International Business Times, Hindustan Times and more. More about Sai Mohan
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