The Los Angeles Lakers enter Training Camp full of optimism about next season. Lurking underneath, however, is a cold hard truth that the team hopes it never has to face. The Deandre Ayton gamble is not guaranteed to work, and if it does not, there is no backup plan.
Last season the Lakers were a disaster at center after trading Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Luka Doncic. While the value of that deal was undeniable, it did leave the Lakers with something of an unbalanced roster. They now had three on-ball scorers and playmakers in Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves and exactly zero starting-level centers.