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

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.

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.