The Los Angeles Lakers need a center. A former No. 1 overall pick be the solution, according to a top NBA insider.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst believes the Lakers could sign 7-footer Deandre Ayton after the Milwaukee Bucks agreed to a deal with Myles Turner on Tuesday.

“The Lakers were competing with the Bucks for Deandre Ayton, and so this leaves Deandre Ayton to go to the Lakers to be their starting center as a possible ramification of this,” Windhorst said, as shared by ClutchPoints.

Size was a problem for the Lakers last season as they were ousted by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the opening round of the NBA playoffs. Los Angeles had a difficult time matching up with 6-foot-9 power forward Jaden McDaniels, 6-foot-9 center Naz Reid and 7-foot-1 center Rudy Gobert, who torched the Lakers with 27 points and 24 rebounds in the series-clinching win.

During the season, the Lakers had acquired 7-foot Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets, but the trade was rescinded because he failed his physical, which was disputed by his agent. 

The Lakers were back to square one and hoped 7-footer Jaxson Hayes (6.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game) would work out, and it did for a little, but he couldn’t keep up the momentum, and at times wouldn’t see playing time. The Lakers had problems matching up with teams.

The other 7-footer the Lakers had was Alex Len. But with just 2.2 points and 3.1 rebounds per game, he was a non-factor.

Adding Ayton would help ease the pressure off Hayes as the Lakers hope he can finally be their big man they desperately need. Ayton, a first overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns, averaged 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds for the Portland Trail Blazers in 2024. 

Ayton would help star Luka Doncic, especially since he likes to lob passes to taller players, much like he did when he was with the Dallas Mavericks. 

If the Lakers want to be title contenders, signing Ayton would go a long way.