Aug 10, 2024; Paris, France; United States guard LeBron James (6) and centre Bam Adebayo (13) celebrate with their gold medals after defeating France in the men's basketball gold medal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-Imagn Images Rob Schumacher-Imagn Images

Miami Heat Would Need To Move Expiring Contracts To Acquire LeBron James

Originally posted on Miami Heat on SI | By Alex Toledo | Last updated Jul 14, 2025 6:15 PM ET

The strangeness surrounding LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers continues. The former Miami Heat player's relationship with the Lakers is reportedly deteriorating. The Heat apparently may have a path to reunion.

The Athletic's Dan Woike, who covers the Lakers, appeared on The Ringer's Zach Lowe Show. He discussed some of the complexities around any potential James trades.

“If it’s a trade, then the next question is where? I've reported it, the Lakers don’t want to take on money beyond this season. I think Brian Windhorst referred to LeBron as an expiring contract at some point," Woike said. "So they don’t want to turn that expiring contract into longer-term money. Good luck trading. Who has $54M of expiring money the Lakers can take in a trade?”

The Lakers do not want to take back ANY contracts that go beyond the 2025-26 season in a LeBron James trade, per @DanWoikeSports

Only the Clippers and Heat can currently send out $50M+ worth of expiring deals

(h/t @APH00PS) pic.twitter.com/hqSN6dIsXS
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) July 14, 2025

If the Heat pursue a reunion with the guy who was Finals MVP for two of their three championships, they have more than enough in expiring contracts to make a trade work before the trade deadline.

Between Terry Rozier, Haywood Highsmith, Norman Powell and Simone Fontecchio, (the latter two can't be traded alongside another player until January 7), that's almost $60 million in expiring contracts alone.

Additionally, Andrew Wiggins isn't an expiring contract, but could be if he decided to opt out of his contract for the 2026-2027 season.. However, despite all the recent rumors surrounding Wiggins and the Lakers, Woike shot down the Lakers' interest.

Zach Lowe floated a LeBron–Miami reunion idea:

“There’s a Heat reunion trade that kind of makes sense... I didn’t think of it until now.”

But when Wiggins was mentioned as part of it:

Dan Woike: “They’re not interested in Andrew Wiggins. I think I can put that to bed.”⁰
Zach… pic.twitter.com/4ieCrIf8ow
— Heat Diehards (@HeatDiehards) July 14, 2025

James, who turns 41 in December, opted into the final year of his contract with the team. recently. James congratulated his lifelong friend Brandon Weems' extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but did not publicly acknowledge the sale of the Lakers nor any of their offseason moves.