Dismiss those calling it a move solely for the future of the franchise, because Luka Doncic + LeBron Davis adds up to a pair basketball savants who can contend together immediately.

However, the present-day Lakers' roster still needed to be refined if the organization was serious about chasing a title in 2025. While the Lakers now had an abundance of scoring power in the James-Doncic duo, the team lacked a notable frontcourt and quality defense.

The Trail Blazers would likely want to make room to have more minutes for Donovan Clingan, who they recently selected early in the 2024 NBA Draft. For the Lakers, meanwhile, Ayton could have at least some tangible valuable as a player who has postseason experience and tremendous size on the inside.