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Par Pierre-Andréa Fraile | Journaliste sportif
The Lakers are expected to be the talk of the offseason, given the shortcomings of their roster. One of the rumblings about them, involving a former first-pick of the draft, has gained credibility in recent hours.
For some, the mere arrival in their ranks of a superstar like Luka Doncic predestined them to win the title. The reality, however, proved far less magical for the Lakers. The Slovenian guard didn’t spare them from a first-round playoff exit. All this, on the back of a resounding 1-4 scoreline in their series against the Timberwolves. Proof that their roster was still far from perfect.
The Angelenos had no difficulty in making this observation following the franchise’s elimination. Rob Pelinka and his assistants know that their summer will be another busy and studious one. After all, the team has a lot of work to do, starting with the pivot position. The avenues to be explored are becoming clearer, and some of them involve glittering names.
Former No.1 draft pick proposed to Lakers moves closer to departure
In order to put Doncic and LeBron James in the best possible position, the Lakers are looking for a pivot who is both mobile and a good defender. Their target profiles are still unknown, but that hasn’t stopped the American media from playing guessing games. One of them, for example, put forward the idea of recruiting… Deandre Ayton, who, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, is on the outs with the Blazers:
When the Portland Trail Blazers drafted Donovan Clingan last year, they sent the signal that Deandre Ayton was not in their long-term plans. Portland is expected to explore the trade market for Ayton this off-season.
It remains to be seen whether the 1st pick of the 2018 Draft fits the picture of the coveted man in LA.
Still relatively young and very athletic, Ayton would have no trouble going back and forth on the floor and finishing off any alley-oops from Luka or LeBron. He has also shown throughout his career in the league that he is capable of defending well. This was notably the case in the 2020-21 season, when his defensive efforts contributed to the Suns’ run to the NBA Finals.
That said, is it worth a substantial financial sacrifice on the part of Purple & Gold? Therein lies the main problem. Yes, the Bahamian big man is still due to earn almost $70 million over the next two seasons, and will therefore require a substantial package to extricate him from Portland. It’s doubtful, therefore, that his production will merit such an investment.
