While acquiring Deandre Ayton is a sure-fire win, the Lakers need to make a few more moves to truly position themselves as contenders.

The Los Angeles Lakers kicked off their 2025 offseason with a huge move, securing the services of DeAndre Ayton.

This acquisition was a genuine surprise, as Ayton wasn’t widely expected to be available in free agency before being bought out by the Trailblazers.

His arrival addresses a crucial need, shoring up the Lakers’ frontcourt and signaling Rob Pelinka’s commitment to a “two-timeline” approach.

With LeBron James potentially entering his final season and Luka Dončić blossoming into his prime in Los Angeles, Ayton allows the team to compete for a Western Conference title now while also providing a starting-caliber center whose timeline aligns perfectly with Dončić’s.

However, even with the addition of DeAndre Ayton, this Lakers roster still doesn’t look like a true championship contender.

Even if they had beaten the Minnesota Timberwolves in the playoffs, I still doubt they possessed enough firepower post-Luka Dončić trade to make a real run at an NBA title, let alone get past the Oklahoma City Thunder.

While the signing of Jake LaRavia from the Kings is a solid bench addition, offering excellent shooting that will undoubtedly thrive with Dončić’s elite passing vision, the Lakers need to make further roster changes to be truly competitive in the 2025-2026 season.

The clear needs for this Los Angeles team are threefold:

Acquiring a reliable backup center.
Adding a defensive-minded wing.
Significantly improving overall bench depth.
The Crucial Need for a Backup Center

A backup center is desperately needed. Even before the Luka Dončić trade, the Lakers were in dire need of a center who could solidify interior defense, secure rebounds, and serve as a consistent lob threat for a high-IQ playmaker like LeBron James.

Anthony Davis, in one of his final comments as a Laker, implored Rob Pelinka and the front office to acquire a center and allow him to move back to his more natural position as a power forward. This issue predated Dončić’s arrival and hampered some of the team’s success last season.

“I think we need another big,” Davis told ESPN’s Shams Charania in January before being traded. “I feel like I’ve always been at my best when I’ve been the 4, having a big out there.”

While Jaxson Hayes did step up admirably in his role as the starting center for the Lakers, ultimately helping them secure the third seed in the Western Conference heading into the playoffs, trust in him waned.

JJ Redick notably lost faith, as Hayes saw limited minutes during the first-round series against the Timberwolves.

Meanwhile, the Lakers’ interior was effortlessly bullied by the likes of Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert, leading to a five-game series loss. In a Western Conference as talented as we’ve ever seen, a weak interior presence is simply not conducive to a championship-contending team.

Bringing in Ayton was the critical first step in solving this glaring problem.

Now, the Lakers are tasked with finding a backup center who not only complements Ayton’s strengths but also addresses his potential weaknesses.

While Ayton is a capable lob threat with a developing offensive skillset that allows him to stretch the floor for Dončić and James to operate, he has, at times, shown liabilities on defense and isn’t always as adept at rebounding as he could be.

Therefore, the Lakers must find a big man who can either replicate Ayton’s qualities at a lower cost or perhaps more importantly, a backup big who can serve as a defensive anchor in various lineups to further fortify the interior.

Many NBA analysts once predicted the demise of the traditional center due to the rise of the three-point shot, but the recent success of teams like the Timberwolves, the Thunder, and the Cleveland Cavaliers has proven that notion false.

A stout front line can undoubtedly lead to playoff success and even a championship, while also opening up the offense and making it more dynamic. If the Lakers fail to acquire a suitable backup center, the otherwise strong acquisition of Ayton could become a net negative, as the team would remain vulnerable to injuries, poor matchups, and a lack of necessary depth.

The Lakers have been linked to two prominent players who could fill this role: the Miami Heat’s Andrew Wiggins and free agent De’Anthony Melton. An acquisition of Andrew Wiggins would represent a true, significant upgrade for this Lakers team.

Wiggins has a proven track record as an effective wing on a championship team, stepping up for the Warriors in 2022 as an elite point-of-attack defender who can also create his own shot and adequately stretch the floor.

If the Lakers were to secure Andrew Wiggins, their chances of contending in the Western Conference would drastically increase.

However, it appears the asking price for Andrew Wiggins by Pat Riley and the Miami Heat is exorbitantly high. This could pose a significant challenge for the Lakers, who aim to manage their assets appropriately to acquire the best collection of players.

While the “Laker tax” might be a reality, no reasonable NBA fan would fault Rob Pelinka for savvy asset management. But if the creed “defense wins championships” holds true, this current iteration of the Lakers roster, even with Ayton, is not yet championship caliber.

Whether it’s Wiggins, Melton, or another suitable wing defender, the Lakers must find a way to fortify that wing position, especially following the departure of Dorian Finney-Smith to the Houston Rockets.

While the ability to score and shoot is important, defense is what the Lakers desperately need, particularly with a team led by Luka Dončić.

Though Dončić has improved as a defender, he still has areas of weakness, which means that the Lakers need a solid interior defensive presence and a wing who can keep the Western Conference’s star guards and forwards at bay as the Lakers pursue a top playoff seed.

Build championship-level bench depth

When examining the Lakers’ bench as currently constructed, even with the addition of Jake LaRavia, it’s hard to believe they possess true championship depth.

The name of the game in the modern NBA, especially with super teams largely legislated out by the new CBA rules and luxury tax apron restrictions, is having a roster that can go eight or nine players deep, particularly in the playoffs.

The Lakers’ playoff roster, outside of the glaring hole at center, was almost nonexistent in terms of reliable bench production.

The need for bench depth was evident in Games 4 and 5 of the Lakers’ first-round series against the Timberwolves.

Controversially, in Game 4, four of the Lakers’ starters played the entire second half.

Meanwhile, Dorian Finney-Smith played 41 minutes off the bench and was the only reserve to score, finishing with six points from two three-pointers.

In Game 5, the Lakers played only three players off the bench, with only Maxi Kleber and Jared Vanderbilt able to score a combined four points, all from the free-throw line.

This kind of limited production is simply not conducive to a championship team and not addressing it would lead to them wasting another year with James and Dončić.

While the Lakers are indeed restricted in their roster-building due to the complex tax apron rules, if Rob Pelinka and the front office can make some key signings and savvy moves with their available assets, they can undoubtedly fortify their bench.

This would give Redick more playable options in his rotation, allowing stars like Luka Dončić and a soon-to-be 41-year-old LeBron James to properly rest, enabling them to unleash their full potential as contenders.

The Path Forward

If the Lakers make these crucial changes and acquisitions, I won’t go as far as to say they’ll be the undisputed favorites to win the championship.

However, I firmly believe they will position themselves squarely in the mix to contend for a title this year and compete fiercely with the Western Conference’s elite for a spot in the NBA Finals.

Addressing these roster needs will allow them to build a highly competitive team for the future, well after LeBron James eventually retires and Luka Dončić solidifies his long-term commitment to the Lakers, continuing to compete for championships for years to come.