Pierce talks about Ayton joining the Lakers: He can help, but the team s limit is to score in the second round

Even though Ayton traded to fill the much-needed vacancy in the Lakers' center position, Pierce does not believe that this move alone will make the Lakers a team to compete for the championship in the 2025-26 season.

"I'm not sure if he's the answer to winning the championship," Pierce said. “If someone told me they got Jokic or Antetokounmpo, I might be like, ‘Oh, they should be the favorites to win.’ But since they got a player who is still trying to find their NBA positioning, he has played for several teams, which will be the third team he has joined as the No. 1 pick in six years and hasn’t really found a sense of belonging yet, I’m not sure how much he can make.”

“Yes, he can bring some of the intangible assets the Lakers need,” Pierce added. "A blocker, an alley threat, and a big inside man, are all the things the Lakers need. So, to answer your question, with DeAndre Ayton, where is the ceiling for the Lakers? They have all stopped in the first round for the past three years. I think they still need more athleticism and perimeter defense. I think their ceiling is to make it to the second round."

"You have to understand: James is one year older," Pierce said. "Will James play 65 games or more? This must be taken into account. How healthy is Luca? Their roster is not deep enough. So, if you can enter the second round with your current roster, it will be a win-win result."