The Los Angeles Lakers enter Training Camp full of optimism about next season. Lurking underneath, however, is a cold hard truth that the team hopes it never has to face. The Deandre Ayton gamble is not guaranteed to work, and if it does not, there is no backup plan.

Last season the Lakers were a disaster at center after trading Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Luka Doncic. While the value of that deal was undeniable, it did leave the Lakers with something of an unbalanced roster. They now had three on-ball scorers and playmakers in Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves and exactly zero starting-level centers.

This was hardly a secret; days after pulling off the Doncic trade, Rob Pelinka tried to trade for Mark Williams before voiding the deal during the physical. Whether he did so because of legitimate injury concerns or because he realized the Lakers drastically overpaid for a low-end starting center in Williams, it still left the Lakers without a reliable starter at the 5.

The team rolled with Jaxson Hayes as their starting center and end-of-roster names like Alex Len, Christian Koloko and Trey Jemison. Ultimately, they leaned into smallball lineups with Dorian Finney-Smith at the 5 as they headed into the playoffs, and against the massive lineups of the Minnesota Timberwolves they were largely run off the court.

Heading into this season, there was much speculation that the Lakers would take a major swing at center, packaging their remaining trade assets to add a high-end starter. Walker Kessler was consistently linked to the team. Jarrett Allen’s name was bounced around. Yet as the trade market stayed quiet, the handful of veteran centers available in free agency found their homes on teams other than the Lakers.

The Lakers are relying heavily on Deandre Ayton

Then a door was opened unexpectedly as Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton agreed to a contract buyout and became available. He was immediately linked to the Lakers, and indeed signed with the team shortly after clearing waivers.

Ayton was certainly overpaid on his last contract, a maximum rookie deal, but he is a capable starting center — not what the Phoenix Suns hoped for after drafting him No. 1 overall ahead of Doncic, but not a James Wiseman-level bust, either. He has averaged a double-double in each of his seven seasons in the NBA, and his size in the lane provides reasonable levels of rim deterrent.

There are also major flaws, which is why the Trail Blazers were comfortable cutting him loose. He avoids contact to a staggering degree given his size, which pulls down his efficiency as a scorer and results in an astronomically low free-throw rate. He likes to take jumpers but isn’t a kncokdown shooter from either the deep midrange or behind the 3-point line. He isn’t a tree trunk on defense, but he’s not excellent switching onto perimeter players.

The Lakers have a trio of stars in place; they don’t need Ayton to be prime Shaquille O’Neal. But they do need him to be worthy of his starting spot. If he is not, there is no one behind him to pick up the torch.

Jaxson Hayes is back, a third center now relegated to being the backup. Christian Koloko returns as well. Neither inspires much confidence. Maxi Kleber is an oft-injured power forward who can moonlight as a smallball center in some lineups; LeBron James can likewise do the same. Dorian Finney-Smith is no longer around to unlock those small lineups, however.

The Lakers have a lot of expectations heading into the season, with Luka Doncic poised for an MVP season and LeBron James looking for glory as he nears the end of his career. Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura hope to earn large, new contracts. Marcus Smart and Ayton want to resurrect their careers.

The Lakers have a lot of flexibility with their lineups, but the anchor has just one option: Deandre Ayton. If he can’t do the job, there is no one else who can. That should terrify the Lakers and their fans.