Otherworldly play from Luka Dončić, the emergence of Austin Reaves as a legitimate superstar in the league, and the return of LeBron James to the court after a bout of sciatica have propelled the Los Angeles Lakers to a 12-4 start, good enough for the second-best record in the Western Conference.
Perhaps that is why it is interesting that the front office is still monitoring Andrew Wiggins’ situation in Miami, per Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.
The 30-year-old forward is averaging 16.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game and is shooting 48.1 percent from the pain and 36.5 percent from beyond the arc for the Heat in 2025, but continues to be at the heart of trade speculation.
While adding Wiggins to a lineup that includes Dončić, Reaves, James, and Deandre Ayton is intriguing, the team should resist making such a trade.
Team chemistry is too important for the Lakers’ long-term success this season to be making changes of that magnitude. James recently rejoined the team, which already toyed with the chemistry that Dončić and Reaves had established as the one-two punch of the offense.
Finding ways to maximize what the future Hall of Famer and potential greatest of all time brings to the table at this point in his career, while being mindful of load management and not letting games get away from them in the process is of the utmost importance.
The last thing they can afford is to trade some of the expiring contracts on the roster (Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, Maxi Kleber, Jaxson Hayes) for Wiggins and risk disrupting chemistry or momentum.
Especially considering the four-game lead the seemingly unbeatable Oklahoma City Thunder already has on the rest of the Western Conference.
Sticking with what they have and potentially trading one of those contracts as a package to bring in a role player or two by the deadline is a better move, especially as the team undoubtedly looks for depth later in the year.
Wiggins is a strong player who can benefit a contender. The Lakers, as they navigate chemistry, should not be it.