One name that has come up in trade rumors lately for the Los Angeles Lakers is Andrew Wiggins. The veteran two-way forward for the Miami Heat is someone whom the Lakers have tried to acquire in a trade, but to no avail, at least so far.
The Heat have reportedly put a price tag on Wiggins that L.A. has deemed to be too high. The team seriously needs at least one 3-and-D player at the guard or wing position, and Wiggins could fit the bill.
According to insider Anthony Irwin, the team will re-open talks with the Heat regarding Wiggins and is hoping the asking price will be reduced now that the Heat have landed Norman Powell.
“The Lakers are going to re-open those (Wiggins) conversations… Maybe Miami will be a little less ridiculous about Andrew Wiggins and demanding they get Rui [Hachimura] and [Dalton] Knecht and a first-round pick and expiring money and all that stuff. That was never going to happen. The Lakers were never going to match that price.”
Powell, who averaged 21.8 points a game this past season, is being traded by the Los Angeles Clippers to Miami. He’s entering the final year of his contract, which can give Miami the opportunity to clear salary cap space next summer.
Wiggins, 30, is a high-level perimeter defender who can effectively guard players at multiple positions and is also a legitimate offensive threat. He averaged 18.0 points a game and shot 37.4% from 3-point range this past season, and he was traded to the Heat in February in the deal that sent Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers will reportedly re-open trade talks for Andrew Wiggins
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
