ESPN: The Lakers inside strength is still weak in the new season unless it can be proved that this is not the case

According to an article written by ESPN reporter Dave McMenamin, an in-depth analysis of the most inconspicuous but crucial hidden dangers faced by the Lakers in the new season. The specific content is as follows:

The Lakers will not be low-key, so this potential hidden danger may be more obvious than the problems of other competitors. But unless there is evidence to prove that this is not the case, the Los Angeles Lakers' inside strength remains weak. After head coach Reddick abandoned Jaxon Hays in the first round of the Lakers' series against the Minnesota Timberwolves (he played for no more than nine minutes in any of the series and was pinned to the bench in the final game), the Lakers signed new starting center DeAndre Aiton.

The deal costs a good deal—after Ayton was bought out by the Portland Trail Blazers, the Lakers signed a two-year, $16.6 million contract with him. The 2018 No. 1 pick averaged 16.4 points per game (59% shooting percentage), 10.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game, and is now only 27 years old.

But on the other hand, he has hardly made a appearance in any key game since he played in the playoffs with the Phoenix Suns in 2023. At that time, he missed a life-and-death battle due to a rib injury. Although he was the starter of the Suns who reached the Finals in 2021, he was traded from the Suns to the Trail Blazers soon after.

The Lakers' other options in center position include: Hayes, who returned as a substitute, Maxi Kleber, who was introduced in a deal related to Luka Doncic but played one game for the Lakers due to a fractured right foot, and their small-ball center option, Judrid Vanderbilt - Vanderbilt has missed 99 games with injuries in the past two seasons.

Last season's regular season, the Lakers ranked third in the Western Conference with 50 wins and 32 losses; they eventually lost to the Timberwolves in the playoffs and were eliminated.