Lakers Should Trade for Andrew Wiggins to Help LeBron, Luka, Reaves amid NBA Rumors
The Los Angeles Lakers have a very obvious need to fill this offseason at center.
However, that shouldn't be the only position they prioritize on the trade market.
LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves could use some extra support in the scoring column. All three players averaged over 20 points per game last season, but only one other player who finished the season on the roster had a scoring average in double figures.
According to Clutch Points' Anthony Irwin, the Lakers and Miami Heat "maintained negotiations on a trade involving Andrew Wiggins."
Wiggins would have been the fourth-leading scorer on the Lakers roster if you used his 2024-25 stats from between the Golden State Warriors and Miami.
Wiggins averaged between 17 and 19 points per game in every season since the 2020 campaign. He's the not the youngest or cheapest option, but he works within what the Lakers are trying to build.
Even with James, Doncic, Reaves and most of their current core back for the 2025-26 season, the Lakers aren't going to heavily rely on a big man to score. They need a mid-tier big man who can effectively rebound and get the ball into the hands of one of the three stars to kickstart the offense.
As much as the idea of adding Walker Kessler, or even John Collins, to the frontcourt sounds great, neither player seems to be available.
Marc Stein reported that the Utah Jazz made Kessler "unavailable for some time" and that any interest from the Lakers in Collins was a "mischaracterization."
Playing Dorian Finney-Smith or Jaxson Hayes at center should not be the primary, or even the secondary, option for the Lakers moving forward.
The higher-profile free-agent options at center aren't great. Brook Lopez, Clint Capela and Myles Turner would all likely command big salaries as well.
The center situation might not figure itself for a while, especially if other trade targets aren't immediately available.
With Wiggins, the Lakers can secure a veteran wing player that gives the Lakers four solid starters, all of whom can score at volume at any given night.
The rest of the roster can be figured out after a Wiggins acquisition, and while it may not be ideal with the center need so glaring, the Lakers can't wait on one position to dictate their entire set of offseason moves.
