The Los Angeles Lakers have had interest in Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins, according to rumors.
A trade package of Rui Hachimura and Dalton Knecht makes perfect sense, but the Heat might not take the bait.
If they are not able to acquire the former No. 1 overall pick, Svyatoslav Rovenchuk of Lake Show Life has a backup plan in mind.
“Should the pursuit fail, Ochai Agbaji of the Toronto Raptors sticks out as a prime trade candidate for Rob Pelinka to still get what he wants out of a two-way upgrade on the wings,” Rovenchuk said Monday.
“The Lakers can offer Agbaji a clearer path to regular minutes. There is even an easy argument to make for starting the two-way wing for his defensive upside and floor spacing ability.”
Ochai Agbaji is only 25 and started 45 games out of 64 played for the Toronto Raptors this past season.
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In those games, he averaged 10.4 points per game on 49.8% from the field and 39.9% from deep.
Agbaji obviously doesn’t hold the same name value as a guy like Wiggins does, but the Lakers have plenty of that.
His two-way versatility and knack for creating shots without the ball would be huge for the Lakers.
Next year, he is expected to make just $6.3 million, which would not be difficult for the Lakers to match.
If he proves to be a valuable piece to their team, they can offer him a contract after next season; if not, then you can let him walk in free agency.
It seems as if the Lakers have their eyes set on Wiggins, but they shouldn’t restrict themselves when Agbaji is also a great candidate.
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