[Short Description]
The Lakers face a critical decision on Deandre Ayton’s future. With the trade deadline looming and free agency ahead, is he the long-term answer beside Luka Dončić?
[Read Time]
3 minutes, 15 seconds
[Main Article]
As the NBA trade deadline fast approaches, the Los Angeles Lakers roster faces a pivotal evaluation, particularly at the center position. The experiment with Deandre Ayton, signed to a bargain deal after his Portland buyout, has yielded mixed results. While offensively efficient and a clear upgrade from last season’s post-Anthony Davis era, Ayton’s fit with franchise cornerstone Luka Dončić remains questionable. His methodical pace and lack of elite rim-running or defensive anchoring raise concerns about whether he is the long-term solution for a championship contender. With Ayton holding an $8.1 million player option for next season, the Lakers must decide if they will move on or run it back with a known, albeit imperfect, quantity.
Looking ahead to free agency, the Lakers project to have significant cap space to address the center spot. Potential targets like Isaiah Hartenstein, Mitchell Robinson, or restricted free agents Jalen Duren and Walker Kessler present intriguing alternatives, but each comes with major hurdles—from team options and injury histories to matching rights. The trade market, featuring names like Jarrett Allen or Nic Claxton, is another avenue, but such moves would consume the draft capital needed to fix other roster holes. This creates a complex dilemma for GM Rob Pelinka: commit major assets to definitively upgrade center, or use those resources to build a stronger supporting cast around Dončić and Austin Reaves while retaining Ayton as a serviceable stopgap.
Ultimately, the data suggests an Ayton reunion wouldn’t be a disaster. The trio of Dončić, Ayton, and Reaves has posted a strong +6.0 net rating. However, “not a disaster” is a low bar for a team with championship aspirations. The Lakers’ historic need for a dominant big man clashes with a market where true difference-makers are scarce or expensive. The coming weeks will reveal if the franchise believes Ayton can grow into that role or if they feel compelled to aggressively pursue their center of the future, regardless of the opportunity cost to the rest of the roster build.
[Short Summary]
The Lakers must decide Deandre Ayton’s future as Luka Dončić’s center. While Ayton has been efficient, his defensive and stylistic fit questions persist. With cap space and trade assets, L.A. can target upgrades like Hartenstein or Allen, but may determine using resources on wings and retaining Ayton is the smarter path to contention.
