There’s been a flurry of activity this NBA offseason as every team attempts to close the gap with the Oklahoma City Thunder in pursuit of next year’s title. The draft was a strong one, and we’re getting our first looks at some of the most promising young stars-to-be as Summer League kicks off. Some big names, such as Kevin Durant, Desmond Bane, Jrue Holliday and Norm Powell, found new teams in the trade market, while elsewhere teams have turned to free agency in order to improve.
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Perhaps no team in the league had a bigger hole at one position than the Los Angeles Lakers did at center. The Lake Show pulled off the trade of the century in landing Luka Doncic in February. The only problem was that they gave up Anthony Davis to do it.
After a deadline deal for Mark Williams fell through, L.A. was left severely undermanned in the frontcourt, and that proved to be their undoing in the playoffs as they got bullied by Rudy Gobert and the Timberwolves in the first round.
Thankfully for Lakers fans, help is on the way in the form of Deandre Ayton. The former No. 1 overall pick was cut by the Blazers just over a week ago, and he quickly signed with the Lakers on a two-year, $16.6 million deal.
FS1’s Speak dove into what the Ayton signing means for both himself and the Lakers on yesterday’s show, and surprisingly, even Celtics legend Paul Pierce sees it as a great move for the purple and gold.
“He’s pretty much exactly what the Lakers need,” Pierce said. “A lob threat, a guy who can rebound and be an interior presence. I’m not sure about a borderline All-Star, but he’ll definitely fill in some gaps that the Lakers need.”
Pierce believes that Ayton will be motivated to reach his potential while surrounded by Luka, LeBron James and JJ Redick, something he hasn’t quite been able to do in his first seven years in the league after being selected at the top of the 2018 draft.
“You gotta understand, he was waived. I can’t remember the last No. 1 pick that was waived or bought out … Hopefully with the leadership in that locker room, with the culture, with JJ Redick, he can turn it around, because this is it. This is his last opportunity to try to earn some big money in this league … This is a make or break year.”
Both Luka and Trae are eligible to sign a four-year, $229 million extension. Needless to say, both will be handsomely paid in the coming years. Ayton is still only 26, but Pierce is right that this could be his last chance to cash in after underwhelming in Phoenix and Portland.
Fans and pundits have criticized Ayton’s effort before, and those critiques will only get louder if he does it in L.A., where the spotlight is so bright.
If he performs, though, he could become a pivotal piece of the Lakers’ post-LeBron future. Not only would that be good for a franchise that has traditionally employed some of the best centers to ever play, but it would be great for Ayton to secure his NBA future.
The West is going to be even tougher than ever this year, but signing Ayton is a high-upside play that could give the Lakers a fighting chance to make some noise.
