11 hours ago
Insider: Lakers have checked in on All-Star wing
While the Los Angeles Lakers badly need a starting-level center, they're also cognizant that they have other roster needs that need to be addressed if they are to become legitimate championship contenders.
One of those other needs is another two-way wing. Dorian Finney-Smith made a significant impact on the team upon arriving in a late December trade, but at this point in his career, he's primarily a power forward. The Lakers could use an athletic wing who can play the 2 or 3 positions (or both), hit 3-pointers and defend at a high level.
Andrew Wiggins of the Miami Heat does all that and more. He has been mentioned as someone L.A. should perhaps go after and could perhaps land. Indeed, insider Anthony Irwin said on his "Lakers Lounge" podcast that the team has talked to Miami about Wiggins (h/t Athlon Sports).
"Wiggins… have I heard of any interest in him? I think right now the Lakers are interested in any athlete," Irwin began on the Lakers Lounge. "Now Wiggins does make a little too much money for my liking. $28 million is a lot for Andrew Wiggins. I would imagine they are very well in tune with what Pat [Riley] thinks of Andrew Wiggins, but the Lakers have checked in on him and asked about what the price would be."
Wiggins averaged 18.0 points a game and shot 37.4% from 3-point range this season. After he was traded to the Golden State Warriors five years ago, he reinvented himself into a two-way player after he had been regarded as a low-efficiency, no-defense-playing chucker during his initial years with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Warriors sent him to Miami in February as part of the deal that brought them six-time All-Star forward Jimmy Butler.
Wiggins could potentially start at the 3 for the Lakers and guard multiple positions on the perimeter, and his experience winning the 2022 NBA championship in Golden State wouldn't exactly hurt either.
