The Los Angeles Lakers finally made a bold move in the 2025 offseason, but it wasn’t something the fans of the purple and gold were thinking of. Just recently, they decided to jump the gun and sign the 2018 No.1 overall pick, Deandre Ayton. Although they now have a reliable big man on their team, will Ayton be the final piece of the puzzle that will push them to the next level, or will he just be another failed project in LA?
Deandre Ayton Isn’t the Center the Lakers Need, but Still a Good Pickup
The Lakers’ 2024-2025 campaign was a series of highs and lows, even after acquiring Luka Doncic back in February. Although they were a tough team on paper, the LeBron-Luka duo still fell short in the playoffs and made an early first-round exit against the Minnesota Timberwolves. It was evident that after losing to a bigger and more physical team, the Los Angeles Lakers needed a solid center.
Since the off-season started, the Lakers’ front office has missed out on guys like Brook Lopez, Mark Williams, and Myles Turner. While they’re still actively on the hunt for star big men like Walker Kessler and Bam Adebayo, a familiar name pops up on their radar – Deandre Ayton.
However, Ayton isn’t the type of center the Lakers need. After facing the Wolves in the quarterfinals, it was noticeable they needed someone capable of being an elite rim protector while also putting in the work to become a lob threat to play alongside LeBron and Luka. The former first overall pick isn’t someone of that caliber, although he has all the physical tools to become one. Ayton is seven feet tall, athletic, fit, agile, and most importantly, has a naturally good feel for basketball.
Unfortunately, he isn’t a prolific defender at the paint and mostly just settles on jump shots instead of being aggressive in attacking the rim. Ayton is also reportedly facing a lot of issues regarding his attitude and work ethic, which will be a huge factor for a contending team moving forward. In addition, he’s only 26 years old but has already faced a lot of health challenges, which prevent him from playing at least 60 games a season in the past two years.
Despite the drama, questionable reputation, and problems attached to Deandre Ayton, the Lakers still managed to acquire a double-double machine. Last season, the Bahamas native put up 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks for the Portland Trailblazers.
Surely, Ayton isn’t the guy the Lakers were hoping to get this summer. They’ve been looking for that final piece to contend, and Deandre Ayton’s skillset just wouldn’t fill that gap. However, having him next to two of the best players today, who also happen to have extremely high basketball IQ could push Ayton to truly dominate. Chris Paul once made him a solid big man during his stint with Phoenix. LeBron James and Luka Doncic would probably make him look like an All-Star again soon. Over the past seven years, Ayton has shown flashes of greatness. After all, he was a first overall pick and was an important part of the Suns’ 2021 Finals run.
It’s a Low-Risk High-Upside Move for Los Angeles
Ayton may have been inconsistent and probably lazy, but the Lakers actually caught a nice deal by signing him this summer. The 26-year-old center agreed to a buyout with the Trailblazers and signed a two-year $16.6 million contract with Los Angeles, where he will be paid $8.1 million in the 2025-2026 season. Eight million for a player with huge potential and is in excellent shape who can definitely go for 18 and 10 with the right mindset and goal, seems like a fair price.
If it doesn’t work out, then they could simply cancel Ayton’s player option in the 2026-2027 season and move on without sacrificing too much of their salary cap—surely a low-risk and high-upside move.
