During the NBA offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers prioritized adding an upgrade at the center position to help kick-start the Luka Doncic era and build around the new face of the storied franchise. Ultimately, the Lakers had an unexpected opportunity fall in their lap, with former No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton agreeing to a buyout with the Portland Trail Blazers, making him an unrestricted free agent. He promptly signed with the Lakers, giving them the type of center they were looking for on the open market. Even though Ayton put up decent numbers during the regular season, he was very hot and cold, struggling with consistency, which left him frustrated, especially with his role on the team. After recording a double-double in a loss against the Orlando Magic in February, Ayton made some ill-advised comments in the locker room about his role on the team, which involved taking a shot at Houston Rockets center Clint Capela. "They're trying to make me Clint Capela,” Ayton said.…