Getting swept in the Conference semifinals made one thing abundantly clear in LA. They weren’t ready, and that harsh reality makes this a critical offseason for the Lakers. It is safe to say that the general manager and the reported new hire, Rohan Ramadas, who will manage the salary cap, are set to have a tough time. Amid questions about LeBron James and Austin Reaves looming, the front office’s first order of business appears to be sorting out the Deandre Ayton problem.

It is pretty clear where this desperation stems from. The OKC series exposed a lack of interior grit and consistent rim protection that Ayton just didn’t provide. And to patch this hole, the front office has reportedly zeroed in on his replacement. By the most ironic of circumstances, Ayton’s replacement could be coming from the team with which he had a fallout. Robert Williams III, currently in Portland, is a frontrunner to be LA’s new lower frontcourt anchor.

“The one name that basically picked up the most buzz, a lot of teams in Chicago [draft combine] last week, was Robert Williams,” ESPN Insider Bobby Marks said. “That’s the name. Now you have to be cautious with that because of the games, availability, and minutes. That’s the one guy, I don’t want to say neutralized Victor, but I think guarded him, probably one of the best in the playoffs in the first round. That would be the guy.”

In the five playoff games that Williams featured in, he actually played quite well against the Spurs. The new Lakers target averaged a postseason career-high of 9.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.2 blocks on 60 percent shooting, giving the Blazers another dimension and much-needed frontcourt depth. But two issues will likely arise for Rob Pelinka’s front office should they decide to go all in.

“The question is the cost,” Marks continued. “Is it $12-13 million? I think that’s kind of where his range is, but there will be other teams that also see that.” Now, at that price point, the Lakers will have the cap flexibility to acquire him. And given LeBron’s LA future is still undecided, that is a potential $50 million freeing up. If they’re convinced, they could make Williams a more lucrative offer to beat the competition. But one more roadblock that JJ Redick will need to look past is injury.

Williams has a notoriously fragile medical history. He has played just 85 total games over the previous three seasons due to knee issues. His best season was his fourth NBA year when he helped the Boston Celtics reach the NBA Finals. But he hasn’t featured consistently ever since. Last season, he averaged a modest 6.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in 59 regular-season games. Despite his durability issues, though, LA’s willingness to pursue him reflects the front office’s deep frustration over Ayton’s baseline inconsistencies.

Signed to a lucrative two-year $16.2 million contract last summer to serve as the premier defensive anchor alongside Luka Doncic, Ayton instead became a big liability throughout the past season. The tipping point occurred during Game 3 of the OKC series. Redick visibly lost patience and pulled Ayton from the floor after the Thunder grabbed back-to-back offensive rebounds on a single possession. The coach was heard saying, “I can’t play him” when he subbed him out.

Even though Ayton holds an $8 million player option for the upcoming season, league insiders heavily suspect the Lakers are actively exploring ways to move on from the former number-one pick, even if he opts into the final year of his deal. Here’s practically why.

While Ayton plays well on his day, he’s virtually unplayable when he doesn’t start well or in any high-stakes moment. It’s not limited to his inability to protect the paint. Sometimes it’s boiled down to the same attitude problems and lethargy that alienated him from the Portland fanbase. Ayton has also never been clear in postgame interviews, often confusing the fanbase more about his approach. When LA beat the Timberwolves in March, here was how the big man subsequently explained his statement about the team communicating well. “It was just good terminology,” he said dismissively.

And evidently, the same lack of communication from his Blazers stint carried into LA. According to The Athletic insider Jason Quick, the Portland franchise had had enough of the former No. 1 overall pick’s “bad ways.”

“The tardiness to team flights and practices,” Quick wrote. “The skipping of rehabilitation appointments. Fans saw him slam chairs when he was taken out of games. And a team source said there were tantrums in the locker room when he was sidelined for poor effort.”

But the Blazers could put Ayton out of a job again… The former teammates (Williams-Ayton) at Portland are from the same 2018 draft class, separated by 26 spots. They were even college rivals. When injuries didn’t hit, Williams emerged as the reliable backup big for the Blazers after the team bought out the remainder of Ayton’s contract.

Pivoting back to Williams, though, there’s a certain sense of resistance that may come from the player’s end as LA targets his signature.

Will Mark Williams be open to joining the Lakers after mucking up the deal a year ago?

There’s baggage to the Mark Williams and Lakers negotiations. In February 2025, everybody thought that LA had acquired him in exchange for Dalton Knecht and Cam Reddish (as well as draft capital). But two days later, Rob Pelinka’s front office rescinded its offer due to a failed physical. Simply put, the Lakers no longer had interest and changed their mind, leaving the player upset about the whole ordeal. So, what are the chances of this trade happening again?

NBA insider Sam Vecenie of The Athletic, while acknowledging that the chances of Williams being open to a Lakers trade are slimmer, also left open the possibility that he might be “excited to go play with Luka at the end of the day [and] let bygones be bygones.”

In the end, though, what JJ Redick will ultimately prioritize are players who can stay fit, because injuries are exactly what did them in this past season. Now, whether the Lakers will have humongous cap space is critically dependent on pending decisions with LeBron James, Austin Reaves, and Rui Hachimura. If it all works out, LA will surely be the destination to land this summer.