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LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 9, 2026: Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton (5) stands alone on the court during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena on February 79 2026 in Los Angeles, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

The Los Angeles Lakers brought in Deandre Ayton over the summer, and while it wasn’t the biggest risk considering the contract he signed with the team, the Lakers did put a lot of responsibility on the back of the former first overall pick.

Questions about Ayton’s fit on this Lakers team have been prevalent all season, and while his occasional emotional outbursts and concerning quotes have been an issue all year, he still is a major key in Los Angeles finding success.

That remains true for the Lakers’ upcoming playoff series against the Houston Rockets, as Ayton can potentially either earn another year with the team or find himself on the trade block once again this summer, depending on how he performs in the first round.

Lakers Could Cut Ties With Deandre Ayton After Rockets Playoff Series

Based on his season statistics, Ayton certainly isn’t performing at a level that would see the Lakers waive him for nothing. However, he hasn’t exactly been the top-tier big man on either end of the court that they would have hoped for, and as he promised, since joining the team.

Now, it’s make-or-break time for Ayton in the Lakers’ playoff series against the Rockets.

According to Jack Simone of LakeShowLife.com, Ayton’s performance in the first round of the postseason for Los Angeles will say a lot about his future with the team.

“If Deandre Ayton doesn’t show out in this year’s NBA Playoffs, his NBA career could quickly spiral into a downturn,” he wrote. “And if he doesn’t, that, combined with his relatively underwhelming first season, could signal the beginning of the end.”

Rumors of this being Ayton’s only season with the Lakers isn’t a new idea. However, without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, he’ll only have a bigger responsibility on his plate as the team is missing their top two scorers and offensive options.

Another interesting wrinkle to the Lakers vs Rockets playoff series will be Ayton against Clint Capela. The Los Angeles big man made a diss at Houston’s center earlier in the year, and the two going against each other in the postseason could lead to some interesting storylines.

Along with Ayton, in a separate article on LakeShowLife.com, Simone mentioned that this could be Maxi Kleber‘s final run in Los Angeles as well, as he hasn’t been a consistent contributor for a while.

Lakers Offseason Free Agent Targets As Potential Ayton Replacements

The Lakers are rumored to be busy this offseason, whether it’s in trades or adding through free agency. They are expected to have a ton of cap space, and with that, potential Ayton replacements are on the board for them this summer.

As Simone wrote, there are a few centers in particular that Los Angeles could go after this offseason.

“The Lakers will have cap space and avenues to explore for improving the center position. There are a couple of attractive restricted free agents in Jalen Duren and Walker Kessler,” he wrote. “There will also be unrestricted options like Isaiah Hartenstein who are worth a look.”

The idea of adding Duren remains the best-case scenario for the Lakers, and while it’s unlikely he will leave the Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles is certainly in the hunt for his services this offseason.

Along with those names, the Lakers have been linked to Daniel Gafford, Robert Williams, Nic Claxton, and a few other centers of their caliber.

It remains to be seen what they’ll do in either the free agent or trade market this summer, but what is clear is that Ayton is on the hot seat, and how he plans against the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs will be a big factor for his future in Los Angeles.