As the Golden State Warriors enter their offseason, they will look to add one or two significant pieces to help bolster their rotation around their veteran core.
However, one player they moved on from this past season, former NBA champion Andrew Wiggins, could be on the move again, providing much-needed help to one of the team's conference rivals.
Recently, Jovan Buha of The Athletic has suggested Wiggins as one of two potential trade targets for the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason, saying "I think looking at the current market, [Nic] Claxton and [Andrew] Wiggins are probably the best realistic players the Lakers could get for each of their two big holes,"
While it is unlikely that Golden State would look to bring Wiggins back in any sort of deal, given the role that Jimmy Butler has taken within the team's rotation, Buha demonstrates that the Lakers will likely be aggressive on the trade market this offseason: signaling intense competition for the Warriors.
Lakers' interest in Wiggins could mean competiton for Golden State
Wiggins, who spent parts of six seasons in Golden State and played a pivotal role in the team's 2022 championship run, was dealt to the Miami Heat in the blockbuster Jimmy Butler acquisition this past season.
Wiggins will be entering his third year of a four-year, $109 million extension, and, unless he lines up with the Heat's timeline of contention, could certainly be dealt yet again in the near future.
This is where the Lakers come in. After shockingly acquiring superstar Luka Doncic last season, the team fell short in the playoffs, losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games. While the Doncic trade stripped their roster depth, which was already somewhat short in the first place, Los Angeles now has the opportunity to build around their new star.
However, their primary needs for an additional wing and a rim-protecting center align almost perfectly with the Warriors', and both franchises should expect intense competition in a relatively shallow free agent market at those positions.
A prime example of this comes in Buha's suggested targets. Nic Claxton, of the Brooklyn Nets, is someone that Golden State could certainly be looking at in a potential Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade, yet he is also a player that the Lakers will likely have interest in.
While the Warriors possess more draft capital and cap flexibility than the Lakers do, such rumors should present concern as multiple teams pursue the limited pool of players that could make the franchise genuine contenders next season.