Lakers Need to Sign Deandre Ayton to Maintain NBA Title Push Amid LeBron James Rumors

There has been no greater need for the Los Angeles Lakers over the last year than a legitimate center. It has been the most blatant hole on the roster and one that everyone and their mothers knew entering free agent absolutely had to be addressed for the team to ultimately get where they wanted to go, that being the NBA Finals.

While the team did not address the need on Day 1 of free agency, a new report from insider Chris B. Haynes suggests they are preparing to.

Haynes told NBA TV that there is a "strong possibility" that Ayton, who was at the center of a contract buyout in Portland earlier in the day, ends up with Los Angeles. He added, "All signs are pointing in that direction."

Ayton was the No. 1 overall pick in 2018, the same year that Lakers star Luka Dončić was selected with the No. 3 pick. He is also a strong pick-and-roll player, something that the team badly wants to implement in its offensive game plan to help accentuate the strengths of Dončić's play.

Adding him not only fills the obvious void, but it would also provide the forward-looking organization another young, 26-year-old foundational player to build the team around.

Signing Ayton is not all about Dončić, either.

Adding the big man to the roster is a "win now" move at a time when LeBron James' future with the organization is in question. Haynes also reported that there have been "no trade talk, there has been no extension talk," with James, despite rumors to the contrary.

James' agent Rich Paul, though, has made it clear to the Lakers front office that there has to be consideration for his client's timeline, too.

Adding Ayton is a move that considers James and his "win now" mentality in that it provides the missing piece of the equation for a team that, despite its major flaw, was still the No. 3 seed in a loaded Western Conference a season ago.

Yes, Ayton had a down year, but he has averaged 16.4 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 59 percent from the pain throughout his career. There is no reason to believe the still young player cannot achieve those numbers on a team with the starting talent that the Lakers have.

He would be put in the position to be the unquestioned starter at the position, would have the opportunity to learn from James and develop the desired chemistry with Dončić and Austin Reaves, two players who figure significantly into what the team wants to do well after LeBron is gone.

Ayton is a slam-dunk signing for the Lakers, pun intended, and a player who instantly makes them better. There were other options available, such as Brook Lopez and Clint Capella, but this is one instance where patience may pay off for the team's front office if the deal gets completed.

If it does not, the scrutiny on the front office for ignoring the position for the second, consecutive off-season will only grow louder and more intense. And deservedly so.