The Deandre Ayton experience has been a poor one for the Los Angeles Lakers and their fans. When the former first overall pick was bought out and signed with LA, there was a ton of hope for optimism. After a disappointing end to his time in Phoenix and Portland, many thought the bright lights of Crypto.com Arena, plus playing alongside Luka Doncic and LeBron James, could rejuvenate the former Pac-12 Player of the Year.
Clearly that was wishful thinking. Ayton's tenure has been filled with constant drama and an inability to perform typical center tasks like setting screens, rebounding, protecting the rim, and catching lobs.
That said, have no fear, Lakers fans, as this year's NBA draft presents the perfect chance to end this nightmare. With LA projected to have the 21st overall pick, they could draft their center of the future in Kansas' Flory Bidunga.
Flory Bidunga represents everything the Lakers need at the five
With a star-studded trio of Doncic, LeBron, and Austin Reaves, the Lakers' need for a center is minimal. They need a lob threat, who crashes the boards hard, sets hard screens, and protects the rim. These traits happen to be Bidunga's greatest strengths.
This season, the sophomore big man is averaging 13.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, and a monstrous 2.7 blocks per game, while also shooting 63.7 from the field.
With most of the attention surrounding Kansas basketball this season focused on potential top overall pick Darryn Peterson, Bidunga has gone overlooked and has flown under the radar. But he's as legit a center as they come in the 2026 NBA Draft.
He's third in the nation in total blocks this season with 80 across 30 games, and has true sensational rim-protecting ability. Bidunga reads opposing players so well that even when he's not blocking a shot in the third row, he gets a contest that forces the offensive player to alter their shot.
He pairs this with a relentless mentality on the glass that, at the next level, would give the Lakers a massive advantage in an area they struggle with. They are the third-worst rebounding team in the league.
On top of that, he has a great frame at 6-foot-10, 220 pounds that allows him to set bone-crunching screens. While he doesn't have much of his own offensive bag, LA is the perfect place for him to work on that behind the scenes because of the star power they already have.
Speaking of star power, since he plays with one of college basketball's biggest stars in Peterson, he knows how to complement star talent, something that will help him alongside Doncic. He has also spent two seasons with the Jayhawks, during which he's grown from a raw prospect to an NBA-ready talent.
While the Lakers' hope of finding a Ayton replacement is dead for the 2025-26 season, they should have an immediate solution during the 2026 NBA Draft in Kansas' Bidunga.