At his introductory press conference, new Lakers center Deandre Ayton identified two areas of his game that he wants to improve in the most.

In the aftermath of the Deandre Ayton trade, Lakers fans are feeling pretty good about their chances to make a run next season. NBA legend Paul Pierce, however, is unconvinced that Ayton will make a significant difference. According to Pierce, the Lakers are only a second-round playoff team as presently constructed.

The Los Angeles Lakers had a clear priority going into free agency: to find a rim-protecting, lob-threat center — and that’s exactly what they got last week, signing 26-year-old and 2018 No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton to a two-year deal.