All issues thought of, the Los Angeles Lakers had a surprisingly robust offseason. That’s contemplating that they needed to remake their roster on a budget. They added Marcus Good, Jake LaRavia, and most notably Deandre Ayton. He who fell into their lap after he was waived by the Portland Path Blazers out of nowhere.
Whereas Ayton put up robust numbers in Portland, his work ethic and angle drew scrutiny from these across the Blazers. Mixed together with his unceremonious exit from the Phoenix Suns, it seems that his repute across the NBA is already within the tank.
Happily for him, and the Lakers, he’ll get a second probability—a 3rd probability—to show himself. Higher nonetheless, he might be paired with Luka Dončić and LeBron James.
Each gamers are elite passers and may hopefully assist get Ayton open appears and unlock his potential. If they’ll, then the Lakers might have a large steal on their palms.
Deandre Ayton is a low-risk, high-reward gamble for the Los Angeles Lakers
Ayton’s work ethic has lengthy been a bugaboo for groups, and it seems that just by enjoying in Los Angeles, the Lakers have gotten Doncic to purchase in. If they’ll persuade Ayton to do the identical, then they might have a significantly better group than most followers and critics have given them credit score for.
In that case, the Lakers might have been gifted with a much-needed improve courtesy of the Blazers, who washed their palms of him. Given how dire their want for an improve on the middle is, they actually hope so with the speculation of Ayton being an ideal match.
He’s a lob risk, a robust rebounder, and an impactful defender when engaged. That pushes Jaxson Hayes to backup middle, a task that he’s significantly better fitted to, and offers the Lakers extra depth at a place of want.
Think about Ayton all of the sudden rising as an all-star seven seasons into his profession. The remainder of the NBA would lose their collective minds. It will additionally imply they might deliver him again after subsequent season, dipping into their 2026 cap house to re-sign him, realizing that he might be their beginning middle of the long run.
All instructed, Ayton is a worthwhile gamble for the Lakers. If he can lastly dwell as much as the lofty expectations positioned on him, being taken first general in 2019, then Los Angeles would have a diamond within the tough.
