The Miami Heat are actively pursuing trade opportunities involving Los Angeles Lakers swingman Andrew Wiggins as part of their push to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. The Heat aim to secure a first-round draft pick from the Lakers, which would bolster their assets needed to negotiate a blockbuster trade for the two-time MVP with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Insider Evan Sidery reported that Miami considers the Lakers one of the few teams capable of providing the additional draft capital necessary to strengthen their offer to Milwaukee. Currently, the Heat have only two first-round picks available for trade in their effort to land Antetokounmpo.
The Heat continue to shop Andrew Wiggins for a 1st-round pick to enhance their trade offer to the Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo,
Sidery stated on X.
The Lakers have been linked to Wiggins for months as a potential wing trade target. Wiggins holds a $30.2 million player option for next season.
Assets the Heat Could Offer to Milwaukee
In addition to the first-round picks, Miami might include promising young players such as Kel’el Ware and Jaime Jaquez Jr., alongside established talent like All-Star Tyler Herro. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Heat appear willing to accept such a package if Giannis, who becomes a free agent in 2027, expresses a desire to join Miami.
Though Jaime Jaquez Jr. was reportedly not initially part of Miami’s trade offer earlier this week, reports from Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson suggest the Heat are prepared to go all-in to secure the Bucks star.
The Heat’s offer, according to a source, is widely expected to include Ware, Tyler Herro, Terry Rozier’s expiring contract, and another young player or more, as well as first-round picks in 2030 and 2032 and possibly first-round pick swaps in 2026, 2029 and 2031,
Jackson revealed on Monday.
Lakers’ Interest in Andrew Wiggins and Trade Challenges
The Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly admired Andrew Wiggins for some time, valuing his 3-and-D capabilities as a complement to their core trio of LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves. Despite this interest, it appears unlikely the Lakers will give up their only tradeable first-round pick for Wiggins, the 2022 NBA champion.
Wiggins holds a $30.2 million player option for the next season, making him a potentially flexible acquiring target. LakersDaily’s Ashish Mathur noted in December that many within the Lakers organization appreciate Wiggins’s defensive skills and versatility on offense.
Wiggins has many fans within the Lakers organization,
Mathur wrote.
He’s an athletic wing who can defend at a high level, get to the rim at will and finish in heavy traffic and shoot from beyond the arc.
However, multiple insiders indicate that trade discussions between the Lakers and Heat stalled last summer, primarily because the Lakers were reluctant to include a first-round pick. They preferred offering expiring contracts such as those of Rui Hachimura and Dalton Knecht instead. The Athletic’s Dan Woike asserts that this stance remains unchanged, with the Lakers unwilling to part with their prized 2032 first-round pick unless it procures a significantly impactful player.
The 2032 pick probably isn’t going anywhere,
Woike reported, underscoring the Lakers’ protective approach toward their most valuable draft asset.
With Wiggins, I don’t know if he’s really available or if he’s worth it at this price point. Again, would adding Wiggins make the Lakers so much better that they’d decide to ignore their plans?
Implications for the Heat’s Giannis Pursuit and Next Steps
The Heat’s strategy hinges on extracting a first-round pick from the Lakers to assemble a compelling offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Given Miami’s limited draft capital, acquiring such an asset is critical to engaging Milwaukee convincingly. Miami’s willingness to potentially part with young assets and a key All-Star highlights the franchise’s high-stakes commitment to this pursuit.
Nevertheless, the Lakers’ resistance to surrendering future draft assets complicates Miami’s plans. Should Los Angeles decline to trade a first-round pick for Wiggins, the Heat may face challenges in assembling a competitive package sufficient to entice the Bucks. The outcome of these negotiations will significantly affect the NBA landscape, as a trade involving Antetokounmpo could reshape championship contenders.
With the trade deadline imminent, all eyes remain on potential moves involving these key players and draft picks, as franchises position themselves for the remainder of the season and the future.
The Heat continue to shop Andrew Wiggins for a 1st-round pick to enhance their trade offer to the Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Lakers have been linked to Wiggins for months as a potential wing trade target.
Wiggins holds a $30.2 million player option for next season. pic.twitter.com/DYyAISiaY5
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) February 4, 2026
The Miami Heat have put together an offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo. 😳 pic.twitter.com/4RXWEpkVeD
— ESPN Milwaukee (@ESPNMilwaukee) February 4, 2026
