The Los Angeles Lakers need a backup center after trading away Deandre Ayton. The former number one overall pick exercised his $8.1 million player option before the purple and gold sent him to the Wizards for Jaden Hardy and two second-round selections. LA was happy to get draft capital in return (subscription required), but it has to hurt seeing Ayton bought into the role the Lakers need.
DA made his first start on Monday night with Alex Sarr sidelined. He played a season-high 24.5 minutes, but only got four shots. Fans know Ayton has not always been happy with his role and touches. The number one overall pick wanted to live up to his DominAyton nickname. He started every game he appeared in for the Lakers last season. They were hesitant to bench him or diminish his role in fear it would negatively impact his production.
Ayton has caused zero issues in the nation’s capital. He is playing behind Anthony Davis and Sarr. For the season, DA is averaging 5.4 points and 4.6 rebounds in 15.9 minutes per game. The Lakers upgraded at center by adding Walker Kessler. They still need the exact role Ayton is playing behind their starter and are struggling to fill it. It turns out Los Angeles traded away the ideal option.
Deandre Ayton is fully bought into being a backup big man
Ayton embraced his role in Washington from the jump. He is setting screens, rebounding, and locking in on defense. Longtime NBA veteran turned broadcaster Drew Gooden praised Ayton for figuring out how to have a long career in the league. Instead of demanding minutes or touches, the big man is buying into his role and helping the Wizards win.
The Lakers signed Ayton after he was bought out by the Blazers. They needed a starting center and knew he wasn’t the ideal fit next to Luka. DA was the best available option, and he helped the purple and gold advance to the second round of the playoffs in his lone season with the franchise.
Los Angeles clearly didn’t think Ayton would be happy backing up Kessler. They got two second-round draft picks for his expiring contract, but it left a hole on their rotation. The Jazz made it worse by stealing Jaxson Hayes, and the Lakers have been left scrambling to start the year.
Lakers need a backup center upgrade
Head coach JJ Redick played Kevon Looney as the backup center in the first four games. The three-time NBA champion joined the Lakers on a minimum contract in the offseason. LA was outscored by 29 points in his 30 minutes of action, so Redick was forced to go in a different direction.
The purple and gold have been using Sandro Mamukelashvili and Jarred Vanderbilt as an undersized backup center tandem after Loon was scrapped for the rotation. It has created some rebounding and rim protection issues, but the Lakers have nowhere else to turn. They signed Lawson Lovering to a two-way contract in hopes of finding an underappreciated gem. The Lakers know it is a long shot.
This is why the Ayton trade was so confusing. The Lakers created a clear need for themselves by sending DA packing and had no clear plan to solve it. Looney barely played for the Pelicans last season and has been declining for years. He was never going to be a nightly answer for a serious title contender.
Lakers should have kept Deandre Ayton
LA is light on draft capital. They only have three second-round draft picks and one first-round swap to trade after sending out Ayton. The Lakers can’t acquire a better center option than DA for what they have to trade. That is the problem.
The Lakers are left with a hole, and it will cost them at least two seconds to fill it. Whoever they acquire will be worse than Ayton or is unlikely to be fully bought into being a backup. Keeping the 28-year-old was the right move. The Lakers needed a backup plan in place for this to work, but it didn’t exist.
Deandre Ayton is thriving in the nation’s capital as the Wizards have won four of their first seven games. They have quickly gone from rebuilding to chasing the playoffs. Landing the number one overall pick and drafting AJ Dybantsa helped, but Washington is benefiting from acquiring veterans like AD, Trae Young, and Ayton.
The Los Angeles Lakers should have kept Deandre Ayton on his $8.1 million expiring contract if he was willing to back up Walker Kessler. It would have solved one of their issues and given LA a trusted big man. Ayton is better in a backup role because the head coach can have a quicker hook when the big man struggles. He is a reserve at this point and would have thrived in LA playing off Luka and Reaves again.
Lakers fans should be cheering for Ayton. He bought into his role in LA and helped the team win a playoff series without Doncic. Now, he is the backup center on the Wizards and thriving in his new spot. Hopefully, it continues. Lakers fans know all too well that Ayton’s play can be a roller coaster.
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