Source: Lakers next target after signing DeAndre Ayton

After signing a new center with some middle-class contracts, the Lakers turned their attention to other needs while filling the lineup.

The Los Angeles Lakers reached a contract extension with DeAndre Ayton, a seven-year veteran, was bought out by the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday. According to sources close to the team, their focus will now shift to wingers and further center depth, both in the free agent market and in the trading market. Ayton has been hesitating between the Indiana Pacers, Lakers and Golden State Warriors.

Although Ayton is the most talented big player on the market, sources said there is a disagreement within the Lakers about whether he should be regarded as the starting center. Ideally, they want to find a player who is comparable to Ayton’s talent level but has a different skill set (especially space) – but the most commonly used keyword when describing their intentions for the position is “deep.”

Sources said Ayton's contract will occupy the remainder of this year's non-taxpayer middle class special case, with the second part being the player option. The Lakers now have two-year exceptions and veteran's basic salary contracts to sign. D'Anthony Melton and Al Horford both had a rumor with the Lakers, but Melton was considered a more likely player to be signed. Melton is obviously more inclined toward the defender, but his height and arm length are higher than expected, and once signed, he can become the Lakers' best offensive point defense player in years.

In terms of trading assets, the Lakers still have the upcoming contracts for Gabe Vincent and Maxi Claiber. They can still trade first-round picks in 2031 or 2032. Dalton Knecht was in numerous deal negotiations this summer after being sent off last season for Mark Williams' contract. Hachimura Shizuo is also a popular target for other teams interested in joining the Lakers. Even if Austin Reeves refuses the maximum salary contract extension and chooses to stay with the Lakers, he is unlikely to be traded.

As far as these negotiations are concerned, as previously reported, the Lakers have had contact with the Portland Trail Blazers about Robert Williams and with the Miami Heat about Andrew Wiggins. Sources said the negotiations encountered some obstacles before the Lakers turned to chasing Ayton. They may take over at any time, and Robert Pelinka communicates particularly frequently with Joe Cronin. Another name associated with the Lakers is Cam Whitmore, a league source revealed. If the Rockets decide to cut wages slightly, or expand Kevin Durant's trade range, bringing Dorian Finney-Smith into the trade range, then Whitmore — who hopes to play a more important role in the Rockets roster — is considered a candidate for the Lakers.

Many people in the Lakers' draft room were optimistic that Whitmore graduated from Villanova University in 2023, but the Lakers finally chose Jaylen Hood-Sifino because Whitmore's health has worried many people on the team. Ironically, Hood Sifino has almost never played for the Lakers due to his own health problems.

At the center position, ClutchPoint's Brett Segal reported on the Lakers' interest in New Orleans Pelicans' Yves Missy. According to sources close to the team, the Lakers were ready to choose Missy in last year's draft, but they changed their minds after Knecht fell into the hands of the Lakers. Despite this, he still has a lot of fans on the team, even though he has just experienced a strong rookie season and is worth a lot.

Nick Richards is another target for the Lakers, although the possibility of him being bought out or cut off seems to be greater than any team giving up anything for him. Just as the trend of expiration of player contracts in this labor-management agreement, teams that think players are likely to enter the buyout market choose to wait rather than trade. He is also one of the candidates for signing first and then changing.

Does this mean that the Lakers will definitely trade all these players? Obviously not. The point is to show what the Lakers are aiming and what types of players they want to bring in. The point is: Pelinka is still very active after signing Ayton, and he has a bigger bargaining chip in the negotiations due to the signing, as other teams can’t simply think that they need players in this position right now.