The Los Angeles Lakers, still, could use a center.
The Miami Heat have a star center who has begun to be speculated as a possible trade candidate.
Maybe they're a match?
A popular Lakers account on social media has pitched the following deal:
MOCK TRADE 🚨
— NBALakersReport (@NBALakersReport) July 17, 2025
Heat Receive: Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, Dalton Knecht, and a top-three protected 2031 1st round pick
Lakers Receive: Bam Adebayo
Who says no? 👀👀 pic.twitter.com/rRuoubPCxT
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If the Heat were going to move Adebayo, that'd be a great return.
Hachimura and Vincent are solid veterans (Vincent having played in Miami before). Knecht is a young, talented shooter. And that 2031 pick could always end up as a tradeable asset or wind up higher in the draft than expected if things go sideways in L.A. in the next five years.
The Lakers would feel like winners in this deal because they wouldn't actually give up much of their win-now core.
A top-four players of LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Adebayo is championship-level stuff.
Miami might want more, but the Lakers would probably go for such a trade.
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