The Los Angeles Lakers should regret trading Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards for Jaden Hardy and two second-round draft picks as they search for a backup big man (subscription required) behind Walker Kessler. Dan Woike notes that the market for centers is drying up and that the cost of trading for one is high. The Lakers found that out in the Kessler deal. Ayton would have been the perfect reserve center, but LA chose the draft capital.
The Lakers still have the two second-rounders and Hardy. Many thought the trade was to flip those assets into something else, but it hasn’t happened. Los Angeles still needs a starting power forward to finish their offseason retool around Luka Doncic. The purple and gold locked in several core pieces around number 77, but there will be questions until they add that crucial piece.
LA already has 16 guaranteed contracts on their books and desperately needs to make a trade. They only have three second-rounders and one first-round swap to offer to entice another team to take on an unwanted Laker. They aren’t finding a starting power forward and a backup big man, while dumping the required salary. The Lakers had one of those boxes checked before making this trade.
Lakers should regret Deandre Ayton trade as backup center need arises
LA signed Kevon Looney to a minimum contract, but the three-time NBA champion played just 21 games last season for the Pelicans. He wasn’t part of their rotation for stretches, and it is fair to question how much the 30-year-old big man has left in the tank. With Kessler averaging just over 50 games per year in his NBA career, the Lakers need more depth at the five.
The Ayton trade benefited Anthony Davis more than the Lakers. LA opened the door for AD to play primarily at the five and be more comfortable in his new home. Jovan Buha also noted that Ayton likely wanted to rehab his value elsewhere.
Buying into a backup role and dominating could have gotten Ayton paid. Mitchell Robinson got the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception from the Celtics after playing a key role off the bench for the NBA champion Knicks. The Lakers gave Sandro Mamukelashvili $52 million after being a career reserve. Dinner was on the plate for Ayton. All he had to do was feast in Los Angeles.
Fans can knock Ayton if they wish. There are consistency, defense, and overall impact questions, but there is no denying his talent. The seven-footer could destroy reserve big men and prove he is a starting-caliber player elsewhere. It would have been a mutually beneficial relationship, but the Lakers just couldn’t pass up replenishing a bit of draft capital and saving a couple millions dollars to spend elsewhere.
The Los Angeles Lakers should regret this trade. They will have a worse option than Ayton backing up Kessler this season or will be forced to pay handsomely for an upgrade. It was another case of poor asset management by Rob Pelinka. This has plagued the purple and gold during his tenure and will only get worse if Kessler is forced to miss time. Hopefully, that scenario doesn't come, but history suggests it will.
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