The Los Angeles Lakers needed a starting-caliber center entering this offseason, and they got one in Deandre Ayton. Before Ayton became available, though, the Lakers were seemingly facing a bit of a problem, as NBA insider Brian Windhorst reported that teams with centers to trade had driven up the asking price.
“Teams who had centers available were keeping their price for the Lakers high when they called, sources said, after they had established what they were willing to pay for Mark Williams (in February’s rescinded trade).”
The Lakers were sending Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2031 first-round draft pick, and a 2030 pick swap to the Charlotte Hornets for Mark Williams. They would later rescind that trade due to concerns regarding Williams’ health.
With teams knowing the Lakers were willing to give up that kind of package for Williams at the deadline, it’s not surprising that the asking price was high. They also knew they were dealing with a team that was desperate to get a quality center next to Luka Doncic.
It was reported that some of the notable centers the Lakers were looking to trade for were Nic Claxton, Walker Kessler, and Robert Williams III. Claxton was being touted as a realistic target, but it’s possible the Brooklyn Nets were one of the teams that Windhorst was referring to.
As for Kessler, well, the Utah Jazz’s asking price had proven to be too high for the Lakers for quite some time now. The Jazz reportedly would have wanted a package that included two first-round picks and Knecht for Kessler back in January. Keep in mind, this was before the Lakers were desperate to get a big, when they had Anthony Davis. The price might have even gone up further after Davis was traded for Doncic.
When it comes to Williams, though, you’d think even the Lakers’ desperation couldn’t have driven up the price too much. He has played just 26 games in the last two seasons for the Portland Trail Blazers due to injury and should have been attainable without giving up assets of great value. Perhaps it was those health concerns that dissuaded the Lakers from making a move, not the asking price.
In the end, the Lakers got their starter and backup for the center spot without having to give up any assets. Ayton was signed to a two-year, $16.6 million deal after the Trail Blazers bought out the last year of his contract, while Jaxson Hayes returned on a one-year deal worth $3.4 million. It’s not a great rotation, but it isn’t terrible either.
The Lakers were forced to start Hayes last season after rescinding the Williams trade. While he fared fairly well during the regular season, it was crystal clear that head coach JJ Redick didn’t trust him in the playoffs.
Hayes averaged just 7.8 minutes per game in the first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Redick all but removed him from the rotation, and the Lakers needed an upgrade.
Despite all his flaws, Ayton is a significant upgrade over Hayes. He averaged 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game for the Trail Blazers in 2024-25.
Lakers’ President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka believes Ayton is an ideal player to add to their core. There is very little risk involved here due to the nature of the contract, so even if things don’t work out, this won’t go down as a disastrous move.
