Oct 25, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins (22) goes to the basket against Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) during the first quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Asking Price for Top Reported Trade Target Revealed

Originally posted on Los Angeles Lakers on SI
By Jason Fray | Last updated Aug 13, 2025 12:30 PM ET

For virtually the entire offseason, Miami Heat wing Andrew Wiggins has been associated in hypothetical trade after hypothetical trade with the Los Angeles Lakers.

It's no secret the Lakers have been wanting to beef up their perimeter defense over the last few months. Marcus Smart was acquired to do just that — though the team still lacks a true/proven wing defender that can guard the 6-foot-6 to 6-foot-8 alpha scorers. Even with Smart's defensive reputation and credibility on that end of the floor, he's not overly athletic.

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Wiggins had been the perceived target for the Lakers despite no real concrete evidence that the team actually made a push to get him. Much of it seemed to be conjecture, along with the fit appearing to be a good one.

REPORT: The Miami Heat were open to moving Andrew Wiggins — but only if they got an instant-impact player and a first-round pick before 2028 in return.

(via @BrettSiegelNBA) pic.twitter.com/zJoo82wi5b
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) August 12, 2025

As NBA reporter Brett Siegel revealed recently, the Heat were asking for a considerable amount in return for a 30-year-old player with one year left on his deal (not including a $30 million player option for 2026-27).

Siegel said that the Heat wanted an instant-impact player and a first-round draft pick before 2028.

The Lakers theoretically would've satisfied at least one of the requirements. LA has its 2026 and 2028 first-round picks to use in a potential deal. In terms of the instant-impact player, quibbling likely would be attributed to Dalton Knecht in this case.

It's no secret Knecht has had a rough time in LA since being drafted. His play time was up and down (as was his consistency on the court). Knecht was then part of the Mark Williams trade, which was ultimately rescinded. He then had to rejoin the team and mentally bounce back in what was likely a very difficult situation for a young player to handle.

To make matters worse, he had an awful Summer League performance in Vegas to the point where his standing as an instant-impact player would come into question.

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There wouldn't be a universe in which Austin Reaves is included in a deal with Wiggins being the primary player sent back. Rui Hachimura likely would've been the player in question — and even then, there's a real argument to be made that he's just as good, if not better than Wiggins at this current time, given their respective skill-sets and production levels.