With LeBron James likely set to return for at least one more NBA season, the Los Angeles Lakers should be willing to shop nearly any player to strengthen their roster.
This offseason, the leading name in Lakers trade talks is standout guard Austin Reaves, who just wrapped up the best season of his career. He posted averages of 20.2 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game while shooting 46% from the field and 37.7% from beyond the arc.
One team that could be interested in Reaves is the Miami Heat, who are in desperate need of a roster overhaul. Despite Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo guiding them to a playoff berth, the team struggled after trading away Jimmy Butler in February. The early exit prompted team president Pat Riley to make it clear he’s not interested in bringing back the same core next season.
To that end, FanSided proposed a blockbuster deal between the Heat and Lakers:
Heat receive: Austin Reaves, Gabe Vincent, Maxi Kleber
Lakers receive: Andrew Wiggins, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr.
This would be a hefty price for the Heat, as Wiggins is a former All-Star with championship experience, and both Ware and Jaquez Jr. have shown early signs of high potential.
“The Heat have a greater need for Reaves’ skill set,” the article states. “They require another shot creator to ease the burden on Herro, more shooting to give Adebayo room inside, and generally need to boost their offensive firepower.”
Pairing Reaves with Herro could certainly elevate Miami’s scoring, but it could also create defensive vulnerabilities. While Adebayo remains an elite interior defender, opposing teams like the Cavaliers and Knicks—led by star guards Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson—could exploit a defensively weak backcourt.
The Heat showed a similar mindset when they traded for Terry Rozier from the Hornets. Although that move didn’t pay off, acquiring another offensively-focused guard to support Herro might still be worth exploring—if the price is right.