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LeBron James, Lakers Wake Up To Terrible Trade News originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
LeBron James put some pressure on the Los Angeles Lakers' front office to get going and make some big moves.
His agent, Rich Paul, made it loud and clear that as much as he loves Los Angeles, he wants to compete for another championship before writing into the sunset, and they will assess the team's roster before making any decisions about his future.
That's why Rob Pelinka might not be pleased with the Miami Heat's reported asking price for Andrew Wiggins.
According to Lakers insider Jovan Buha, the Heat have set a steep asking price in return for the former NBA champion:
"I don't think the Lakers are trading Rui, a first-rounder, and Dalton [Knecht] for Andrew Wiggins. It's not fair value. It's not a realistic trade. I think Miami's playing hardball, and we'll see if they soften their stance," Buha said.
Wiggins has proven to be a solid defender, and he's made great strides in terms of effort, basketball IQ, and shot selection since he left the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Then again, he's also an inconsistent shooter who has struggled to stay on the court over the past couple of years.
The Lakers almost traded Dalton Knecht last season, so he's likely to be a trade chip still, and the same goes for Rui Hachimura, who's played well but whose contract makes him a likely candidate to be traded for salary-matching purposes.
Still, with the Lakers looking to preserve cap space for the future and seemingly intending to build around Luka Doncic, the chances of including a first-round pick in any deal look slim.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
