The Los Angeles Lakers examined a contingency plan in the early days of free agency, opening talks with the Miami Heat about guard Tyler Herro and center Kel’el Ware before finalizing a new contract for Austin Reaves, league sources told HoopsHype.
According to the report, the preliminary framework discussed by the two front offices would have sent multiple first-round draft picks from Los Angeles to Miami. It was not specified whether Reaves would have been part of a sign-and-trade package, but any scenario likely required his inclusion to satisfy salary-matching rules.
The conversations occurred prior to two significant moves that reshaped the market:
- On the Heat’s side, Herro and Ware were ultimately rerouted to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of the blockbuster deal that delivered Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami, along with Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakučionis and a collection of draft assets.
- On the Lakers’ end, Los Angeles later reached a four-year, $185 million maximum agreement to keep Reaves, 28, through the 2027-28 season.
Had the proposed Lakers-Heat swap materialized, Los Angeles would have gained Herro on a $33 million expiring contract and added the 7-foot Ware as a long-term frontcourt project. The move would also have preserved future cap flexibility by avoiding a second max-level deal alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Instead, both clubs pivoted. Miami secured Antetokounmpo, while the Lakers retained Reaves and maintained their full complement of draft picks for future trades.
With their core intact, the Lakers are still searching for depth pieces. League personnel have linked Los Angeles to forwards Dean Wade and Jock Landale, two big men expected to draw interest from several teams.
The Lakers have completed only one major transaction this offseason—the Reaves extension—but hold the financial tools to compete for additional signings as roster construction continues.
Source: Lakers Nation
