It's late in the offseason, and there's still a couple of weeks left before training camp and media days. With that in mind, the only thing on the minds of Los Angeles Lakers fans is how the team can further improve this roster. There's one idea out there circulating that [the Lakers could trade Rui Hachimura](https://lakeshowlife.com/rui-hachimura-playing-future-with-lakers-this-season) and get Andrew Wiggins back.
Now, this isn't an idea that's going to resonate with everyone for a few reasons. I think the biggest of which being the salary problem you'd run into if you tried to pull off a deal like that. It's obvious that Los Angeles would have to send back significant money to bring on bring on Wiggins.
You couldn't just deal out, say, Dalton Knecht and draft compensation to get back Wiggins from the Heat. The Lakers would also have to package a bigger salary, which would likely end up being Hachimura.
I'm not so sure that's the right move to make here. I think adding Andrew onto this roster as is would be a great move, and would give LA an additional three-and-D guy they can trust in the playoffs. That alone is a needle-mover to me.
Hachimura-Wiggins would be a realistic swap, but not a logical one
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But when you have to start talking about [losing Hachimura as a result](https://lakeshowlife.com/lakers-telling-rui-hachimura-exactly-where-stands-with-franchise), I think the deal is suddenly more trouble than it's worth. I'm seeing a lot of people underrate Rui's role on this team. He showed toward the end of this past season to be a solid fit alongside Luka Doncic, and I don't see why you'd look to move him unless it was for something greater than Andrew Wiggins.
Yes, Wiggins will be a positive in the playoffs, but how much of one? I'm not so sure it's enough to justify moving Hachimura. We have to remember that this team is now structured firmly around number 77 and his talents, and I'd argue Andrew isn't quite as good of a fit.
If you look at these two guys and their playstyles, Hachimura is much more of a classical off-ball scorer. He's low-maintenance. Rui tends to space the floor effectively while cutting hard and being good about making quick decisions.
On the other side of things, Wiggins has to be a bit more of an isolation scorer to be at his best. With the way that Doncic is naturally going to monopolize the ball at times, this is going to create an overlapping skillset.
So while a deal for Wiggins might hypothetically be on the table for the Lakers and the offer could be tempting, I'd move with caution if I were the front office. Getting Wiggins could still be a positive, but not at the cost of swapping out Hachimura for him.