The Lakers’ front office has been circling this moment for months — not with flashy press conferences or cryptic Instagram teases, but with quiet, methodical precision.

Behind closed doors, in film rooms and analytics meetings, they’ve mapped out exactly what their championship puzzle has been missing: a true, modern, mobile five who can protect the rim without clogging driving lanes, rebound at an elite level, sprint the floor in transition, and — crucially — stay healthy for 70+ games.

Enter Deandre Ayton. Not the “potential” version hyped in Phoenix. Not the “frustrating enigma” version traded to Portland.

But the fully realized, laser-focused, contract-year Ayton — the one averaging 18.4 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks on 65% shooting since the All-Star break, while anchoring Portland’s most efficient defensive lineups. The Lakers don’t just want him — they know he’s the final piece.

It starts with fit — and few centers in the league fit L.A.’s LeBron-and-AD ecosystem better. Ayton doesn’t need plays drawn up for him. He thrives as a roll man, diving hard to the rim where LeBron’s lasers find him for easy lobs — something Christian Wood simply can’t replicate consistently.

He sets bone-crushing screens that free up shooters like Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell — screens Jaxson Hayes lacks the strength to deliver.

And unlike past Laker bigs who vanish in the playoffs, Ayton’s physicality holds up against elite frontcourts. Watch him bang with Jokic, switch onto Shai, or wall off the paint against Giannis — he doesn’t wilt. He adapts. He competes.

That’s exactly what Darvin Ham needs next to Anthony Davis: not another scorer, but a relentless, high-IQ defender who lets AD roam free as the primary shot-blocker while handling the dirty work himself.

Health is the silent killer of so many Laker seasons — and Ayton solves that, too. Since entering the league in 2018, he’s missed just 38 total games — most due to suspension or minor load management, not structural injuries.

Compare that to Wood (chronic ankle/foot issues), Hayes (knee instability), or even Davis (stress fractures, ligament tears). Ayton’s frame — 7’1”, 250 pounds of sculpted athleticism — was built for durability. He absorbs contact without crumbling. He recovers quickly. He plays through bumps and bruises that sideline others.

In a playoff series against Denver or Boston, where every possession demands physical sacrifice, the Lakers can’t afford another center who disappears in April. Ayton? He leans into it. His toughness isn’t optional — it’s foundational.

Then there’s the offensive synergy. LeBron James turns 40 in December. His downhill burst isn’t what it once was — but his vision? Still generational. Pair him with Ayton — a 75% finisher around the rim who runs the floor like a gazelle — and you unlock the easiest buckets in basketball. No more forcing threes when the clock winds down.

No more stagnant isolation when AD is double-teamed. Just LeBron probing, drawing two defenders, then whipping a no-look dime to Ayton rolling hard — flush. Add AD spacing the floor from the elbow or operating from the post, and defenses are paralyzed: collapse on LeBron?

Ayton dunks. Double AD? LeBron finds the open man. It’s simple, beautiful, and brutally effective — the exact formula that powered Miami’s 2023 Finals run with Bam Adebayo.

Defensively, Ayton’s evolution has been the league’s best-kept secret. Early in his career, he was labeled “lazy” or “disengaged.” That narrative died in Portland. Under Chauncey Billups, Ayton embraced switching on the perimeter — holding his own against guards in pick-and-roll coverage far better than his reputation suggested.

He’s not Steph Curry’s shadow, but he’s competent — and that’s all L.A. needs when AD is roaming help-side. More importantly, Ayton’s timing as a weak-side rim protector has sharpened dramatically.

His block numbers don’t jump off the page, but his contest rate does — altering shots without fouling, something Davis can’t do alone. Together, they form a twin-tower deterrent that forces opponents into tough mid-range jumpers — exactly where Ham wants them.

Contractually, the timing couldn’t be more perfect. Ayton is on an expiring $14 million deal — making him eminently movable in a salary-matching framework. The Lakers can offer a package centered around Rui Hachimura ($16M), Max Christie (rising value), and a lightly protected future first — enough to entice Portland, who’s rebuilding around Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe.

No need to gut the roster. No need to attach multiple picks. Just one young starter, one promising wing, and a draft asset with upside — and L.A. gets its franchise center for the LeBron twilight era.

Even better? Ayton will hit unrestricted free agency next summer — meaning the Lakers can evaluate him in real-time before committing long-term dollars. Low risk. Elite reward.

Culture fit? Don’t underestimate it. Ayton’s had his clashes — we all remember the Monty Williams saga — but those were rooted in role confusion and communication breakdowns, not malice or laziness.

In L.A., under the steady hand of JJ Redick and the veteran leadership of LeBron and AD, Ayton would have clear expectations: defend, rebound, roll, finish. No ego battles. No usage wars. Just win.

And if history tells us anything, Ayton rises when the stakes are highest. Remember his closeout Game 7 against the Clippers in 2021? 30 points, 20 boards, zero turnovers. This isn’t a project. It’s a proven playoff performer waiting for the right system — and the right stars — to elevate him.

The analytics back it up, too. Lineups featuring Ayton at center post-All-Star break ranked top-6 in net rating among Portland units — despite playing with a G-League level supporting cast.

His presence boosts teammate shooting percentages by forcing defenses to account for his rolls. He improves transition defense by sprinting back — cutting opponent fast-break points by nearly 4 per game when he’s on the floor.

He doesn’t turn the ball over. He doesn’t take bad shots. He doesn’t demand touches. He just… works. Efficiently. Consistently. Relentlessly. That’s the DNA the Lakers crave — especially with an aging core that can’t afford wasted possessions or defensive lapses.

What’s the counterargument? That he’s “not a star”? True — and that’s why he fits. The Lakers don’t need another alpha. They need a perfect complement. That he’s “unproven in L.A.”? So was Kentavious Caldwell-Pope — and he won them a ring.

That Portland might want more? Possible — but they’re sellers, not contenders. Ayton’s value peaks now, before his price tag soars. The Lakers hold leverage — and they know it.

Rob Pelinka doesn’t make moves for potential anymore. He makes them for certainty. And everything about Deandre Ayton screams certainty: durable, skilled, selfless, available, affordable, and perfectly tailored to maximize LeBron’s last dance and AD’s prime.

This isn’t a gamble. It’s a coronation — of a center finally landing where he belongs. The Lakers aren’t hoping Ayton gives them what they need.

They know he will. Because he already has — everywhere else. Now it’s time to bring that dominance home. To L.A. To the bright lights. To the legacy stage. The pieces are set. The crown awaits. All Ayton has to do? Say yes.