A major trade suggestion involves the Lakers trading Austin Reaves to the Heat in exchange for a $109 million All-Star player.
With LeBron James expected to play at least one more season, the Los Angeles Lakers should consider leveraging nearly all of their assets to upgrade the roster.
This offseason, the spotlight of Lakers trade rumors has fallen on guard Austin Reaves, who is coming off a career-best season. He posted averages of 20.2 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game, shooting 46% from the field and 37.7% from three.
The Miami Heat, a team in need of a significant roster revamp, could emerge as a strong suitor for Reaves. While Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo led the Heat to a first-round playoff appearance, the team struggled after trading Jimmy Butler in February. This led team president Pat Riley to stress the importance of not repeating the same lineup next season.
FanSided proposed a bold trade that could help fulfill Riley’s goals:
Heat receive: Austin Reaves, Gabe Vincent, Maxi Kleber
Lakers receive: Andrew Wiggins, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr.
The Heat would be parting with a valuable group—Wiggins brings All-Star credentials and playoff experience, while Ware and Jaquez Jr. have shown promise early in their careers.
According to the article, “The Heat have a more immediate need for the skillset Reaves provides.” They’re looking for another creator to ease the burden on Herro, better spacing for Adebayo, and an overall scoring boost.
Pairing Reaves with Herro would strengthen Miami’s offense but could create major defensive liabilities. While Adebayo remains a strong interior presence, top-tier guards like Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson could easily target that backcourt duo.
The Heat took a similar gamble when acquiring Terry Rozier from Charlotte. Though that move fell short, pursuing another offensive-minded guard like Reaves could still be worthwhile—if the deal makes sense.
