All things considered, the Los Angeles Lakers had a surprisingly strong offseason. That is considering that they had to remake their roster on the cheap. They added Marcus Smart, Jake LaRavia, and most notably Deandre Ayton. He who fell into their lap after he was waived by the Portland Trail Blazers out of nowhere.
While Ayton put up strong numbers in Portland, his work ethic and attitude drew scrutiny from those around the Blazers. Combined with his unceremonious exit from the Phoenix Suns, it appears that his reputation around the NBA is already in the tank.
Fortunately for him, and the Lakers, he will get a second chance—a third chance—to prove himself. Better still, he will be paired with Luka Dončić and LeBron James.
Both players are elite passers and should hopefully help get Ayton open looks and unlock his potential. If they can, then the Lakers could have a massive steal on their hands.
Deandre Ayton is a low-risk, high-reward gamble for the Los Angeles Lakers
Ayton’s work ethic has long been a bugaboo for teams, and it appears that simply by playing in Los Angeles, the Lakers have gotten Doncic to buy in. If they can convince Ayton to do the same, then they could have a much better team than most fans and critics have given them credit for.
In that case, the Lakers may have been gifted with a much-needed upgrade courtesy of the Blazers, who washed their hands of him. Given how dire their need for an upgrade at the center is, they certainly hope so with the theory of Ayton being a perfect fit.
He is a lob threat, a strong rebounder, and an impactful defender when engaged. That pushes Jaxson Hayes to backup center, a role that he is much better suited for, and gives the Lakers more depth at a position of need.
Imagine Ayton suddenly emerging as an all-star seven seasons into his career. The rest of the NBA would lose their collective minds. It would also mean they could bring him back after next season, dipping into their 2026 cap space to re-sign him, knowing that he will be their starting center of the future.
All told, Ayton is a worthwhile gamble for the Lakers. If he can finally live up to the lofty expectations placed on him, being taken first overall in 2019, then Los Angeles would have a diamond in the rough.
