LeBron James has not looked like his normal self this season for the Los Angeles Lakers. After he scored just eight points, breaking his 18-year streak of 10+ in every game, in Thursday’s game against the Toronto Raptors, reality may be setting in for James and fans across the world.
The good thing is that Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić have looked amazing for the Lakers this season, and are proving they can be the first and second option on a championship team.
If the team wants to capitalize on what may be one of James’s last seasons, they may be active as the trade deadline approaches.
Although LeBron’s production isn’t reproducible, Maxwell Ogden of Lake Show Life believes there is one player who may come close and shouldn’t have too much of an asking price in the trade market.
“The Los Angeles Lakers have been handed a golden opportunity to trade for veteran wing Andrew Wiggins. While some are hung up on the fact that he never became a superstar after being drafted at No. 1 overall in 2014, Wiggins has quietly become the exact type of player Los Angeles is missing,” Ogden said Monday.
“With Wiggins in the fold, the Lakers would finally have the on-ball defender they need to round the rotation into form. The quality team defenders on the roster could settle into roles that fit them as Wiggins takes on the task of defending opposing teams' best perimeter scorers.”
Andrew Wiggins was shipped to the Miami Heat last season after a successful run with the Golden State Warriors. During his time with the Dubs, he was a champion and a one-time All-Star. He has fallen into a position where he isn’t one of the Heat’s primary scoring options, and at this point, it may be better for the team to free up minutes to allow Kel’el Ware to develop his game.
Wiggins has played the role of the glue guy, which is exactly what the Lakers would need. He can correct the Lakers' defensive mistakes, create his own shots, and bring in championship experience.
The former first overall pick could be on his way to Los Angeles to help Dončić, James, and Reaves capture their first championship together.
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