Blockbuster Trade Proposal Sees Lakers Use Spurs' Interest in Austin Reaves to Land Andrew Wiggins and 2 First-Round Picks

The LA Lakers remain in the thick of the trade rumors after the latest reporting around Austin Reaves and Andrew Wiggins. Reaves is potentially in the final year of his team-friendly $53.8 million contract, which he signed in 2023. He's expected to decline the player option for the 2026-27 NBA season, worth $14.9 million.

Reaves is eligible to sign a deal worth $30-35 million annually next offseason. The Lakers will have tough decisions to make in his free agency, considering his ceiling, limitations and fit next to Luka Doncic. If Reaves doesn't return, the San Antonio Spurs could potentially swoop in to sign him.

According to insider Anthony Irwin's report from Wednesday, the Victor Wembanyama-led team has expressed interest in Austin Reaves' services. The Spurs were also considering going after Reaves in the 2023 free agency when he was a restricted free agent.

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@TheDunkCentral

Austin Reaves is expected to seek up to $35 million per year on his next contract, and the Spurs are among the teams interested in him, per @AnthonyIrwinLA ​“In all likelihood, Reaves will turn down his player option after this season and could command a contract in the ballpark of $30 to $35 million per year…If/when Reaves opts out of his current contract, he'll be an unrestricted free agent with plenty of interest. League sources say the San Antonio Spurs and other teams are keeping a close eye on Reaves' free agency.”

The Lakers have maintained a high-asking price for Reaves in potential trades. They want an All-Star caliber talent in return, else they are happy to retain their prized asset. However, a lucrative opportunity could present itself for LA if it can move Reaves this offseason or at the trade deadline.

The Lakers have expressed interest in Andrew Wiggins. Those rumors faded but reignited after Luka Doncic's EuroBasket campaign ended. Doncic's signing a three-year extension altered the Lakers' approach on the trade market, taking a more aggressive stance.

The Miami Heat want a first-round pick in exchange for the former No. 1 pick, but the LA Lakers seem hesitant to include their only tradeable first, either in 2031 or 2032. However, there's a pathway for LA to use Reaves and the Spurs' interest in him to orchestrate a deal and gain two more firsts, instead of losing one.

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@TheDunkCentral

The Heat are NOT discussing an Andrew Wiggins trade with the Lakers, and they are not interested in trading him at the moment, per @BrettSiegelNBA ​“Right now, the Heat don't hold much of a desire to trade Wiggins and are operating under the mindset of waiting to see how things play out during the first few months of the regular season, sources said. Miami has held a high asking price for the former first-overall pick, one that the Lakers haven't been willing to meet.”

3-team trade proposal sends Austin Reaves to Spurs, Andrew Wiggins to Lakers

The ideal thing for the LA Lakers to pull themselves out of a pickle with Austin Reaves' extension talks would be to trade him now. The San Antonio Spurs could strengthen their hand in negotiations if they acquire Reaves this season via trade.

They already have a trade chip in Stephon Castle amid their backcourt logjam with De'Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper. The Spurs could ship Castle in a trade for Reaves, while the Lakers can reroute him to the Heat for Wiggins instead of spending a first. Here's how the three-team proposal framework looks:

Lakers get:

• Andrew Wiggins (via Heat)
• Julian Chamagnie (via Spurs)
• 2027 first-round pick (via Spurs from Atlanta)
• 2029 first-round pick (via Spurs)

Heat get:

• Rui Hachimura (via Lakers)
• Stephon Castle (via Heat)

Spurs get:

• Austin Reaves (via Lakers)

Without an All-Star in exchange, Reaves could be at least worth two first-round picks. He had a better season than Desmond Bane, who fetched four first-round picks to the Grizzlies in a trade without a young prospect or an All-Star caliber player in exchange.

The Spurs technically have to spend just one first-rounder they own in 2029. The 2027 pick is via Atlanta from the Dejounte Murray trade. With De'Aaron Fox locked into a long-term extension and Victor Wembanyama entering his third season, this is an aggressive move to elevate the team.

Meanwhile, the Heat add a veteran forward like Rui Hachimura. They have reportedly been interested in him in a trade with the Lakers. Hachimura fills a void left in the frontcourt after Wiggins' departure and improves the team's 3-point shooting. He's a career 38.1% from 3-point range. Hachimura shot 42.2% from deep in 2023-24 and 41.3% in 2024-25.

As for the Lakers, losing Reaves would be huge on paper, but Wiggins is a better fit next to Luka Doncic and LeBron James. He's a low-usage offensive player and a versatile defensive threat the Lakers desperately need in the wing spot.