The Los Angeles Lakers were reportedly surprised to get back two second-round picks as well as Jaden Hardy in the offseason trade that saw the Washington Wizards take Deandre Ayton off their hands. Now, months after that deal was finalized, those two second-round picks remain extremely important for the Lakers in making another trade to find a starting power forward for the upcoming NBA season.
There has been a lot of reporting on the Lakers’ interest in making a trade for another forward, whether it be now or sometime during the season, as the current constructed roster still has a big hole at that spot.
With that, pretty much every trade proposal that sees the Lakers add a starting-caliber power forward involves at least one of those two second-round picks. So, though the Ayton experiment in Los Angeles clearly did not go well, the former first overall selection somehow actually might help the team improve its roster even after he’s gone.
Deandre Ayton Helps LA’s Trade Hopes
Writing for The Athletic about the Lakers offseason, Dan Woike revealed in his reporting that the Lakers had a ‘pleasant surprise’ that the Wizards were willing to give up two second-round picks in the Ayton trade.
“On the surface, the move was a big win for a Lakers team that was looking for outs after Ayton picked up his player option. Whether or not Hardy matters this season, the draft capital brought in was a pleasant surprise for the Lakers’ front office,” he wrote. “The Lakers decided they’d rather have the added flexibility those two seconds would add to their near-empty cache of picks.”
The Lakers signed Ayton last summer in hopes he would man the middle and become a strong pick-and-roll partner with the ball-handling stars. However, that was never the case, and his brief tenure in Los Angeles was highlighted by inconsistent play, emotional outbursts, and an overall sense that he wasn’t the right fit.
Just days after picking up his player option, the Lakers traded him to Washington. The Wizards didn’t necessarily need him, but the fact that they gave up Hardy and two second-round picks signals they did have an interest.
But regardless, amid the Lakers’ extremely limited chest of draft assets, those two minor picks they got back could very well swing a trade for another player.
It’s been a busy offseason full of change in Los Angeles, but moving Ayton for what they got back might end up being one of the smartest things done by Rob Pelinka and the front office this summer.
Lakers Trade Idea For A Starting Power Forward
Going off the reports that the Lakers are still interested in making a trade for a starting power forward, as well as similar reports signaling Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt are the two players the franchise would be most willing to give up, there is a very obvious trade idea that sees Los Angeles fix multiple issues in one move.
Writing for Basketnews.com, Pijus Sapetka outlined a Lakers trade proposal that sees the team move Knecht, Vanderbilt, and a second-rounder they got from the Wizards for PJ Washington of the Dallas Mavericks.
Los Angeles Lakers receive: PJ Washington
Dallas Mavericks receive: Dalton Knecht, Jarred Vanderbilt, and a 2032 second-round pick (originally from the Washington Wizards)
This trade idea sees Los Angeles add a starting power forward while also getting under the 15-man roster limit set by the NBA.
Washington has previous experience and success playing with Luka Doncic, and his name has been one heavily mentioned in Lakers trade rumors this summer.
Overall, it remains to be seen if the team will make a trade soon, or rather wait until later in the season to find out exactly what they need for this roster to compete for a championship.
Still, getting the two second-round picks for Ayton was a ‘pleasant surprise’ for the Lakers, and those assets could be very beneficial in making a deal for an even further roster upgrade.
Lakers Could Use ‘Surprise’ Ayton Return In Starting PF Trade Idea