Deandre Ayton’s time in Los Angeles has been anything but quiet. After a promising start to the season that had fans thinking the Lakers may have struck gold with their new big man, the situation has cooled-and fast.
Now, with the trade deadline looming, the Lakers find themselves at a crossroads. Do they stay the course with Ayton and hope things stabilize, or explore a new path?
Enter Jakob Poeltl.
According to the latest league chatter, the Toronto Raptors are open for business, and Poeltl is one of the names they're shopping. That’s not a new connection for Lakers fans-Poeltl has been linked to L.A. in trade rumors dating back to last season. And while there’s been no direct report tying him to the Lakers this time around, the Raptors are clearly testing the waters to see what kind of return their starting center might fetch.
So let’s talk about the fit.
Poeltl isn’t having a standout year by any means. He’s putting up 9.7 points, 7.7 boards, 2.1 assists, less than a steal, and half a block per game.
Solid, but not earth-shattering. And that’s when he’s on the floor-which hasn’t been often enough this season.
Back issues have plagued him, and for a player whose value lies in consistency and physicality in the paint, that’s a red flag. He’s on pace to miss significant time again, and the injuries have clearly impacted his effectiveness.
Then there’s the contract. Poeltl’s four-year, $84.1 million extension kicks in for the 2027-28 season.
That’s a hefty number for a center who doesn’t stretch the floor and has struggled to stay healthy. Some of that money is incentive-based, which softens the blow a bit, but it’s still a long-term commitment for a player who’s not exactly lighting up the box score.
But here’s the thing: for the Lakers, this isn’t about finding the perfect player. It’s about finding the right fit.
Ayton, for all his physical gifts, has had a rocky adjustment to life in purple and gold. The whispers about his effort and engagement have grown louder, and now, conversations about his touches are starting to bubble up.
That’s not what you want to hear in the middle of a playoff push. The Lakers need their starting center to bring energy, rim protection, and a willingness to play his role.
When Ayton checks all those boxes, he’s a difference-maker. But when he doesn’t?
Things unravel quickly.
That’s why Poeltl, despite his flaws, is an intriguing fallback. He’s a fundamentally sound big who doesn’t need the ball to make an impact.
He sets hard screens, rebounds, and plays within himself. He’s not going to change the game, but he might help stabilize it-and for a team with championship aspirations, that can be just as valuable.
Of course, the Lakers could decide to ride this out. There’s always the option to revisit the center situation in the offseason, when more names hit the market and the front office has a clearer picture of where the roster stands. But if the tension with Ayton continues to simmer, and if the front office feels like it’s starting to boil over, they may not want to wait.
At the end of the day, neither Ayton nor Poeltl is a perfect solution. But in a season where frontcourt chemistry has been elusive, the Lakers have to decide how much longer they’re willing to wait for it to click-and whether a change, even a flawed one, might be better than standing still.