Deandre Ayton Joining Lakers on Two-Year Deal with Player Option

by Raymund Tamayo

Deandre Ayton (center) will join Luka Doncic and LeBron James with the Lakers. Photo: Bleacher Report.

The Lakers just got a whole lot bigger.

According to a breaking report from Shams Charania of ESPN, Deandre Ayton is heading to Hollywood, agreeing to a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers that includes a player option. The former No. 1 overall pick will now be donning purple and gold, forming a formidable frontcourt presence—and making a bold statement about the Lakers’ win-now mentality.

Ayton’s deal comes on the heels of a buyout with the Portland Trail Blazers, which he finalized Sunday night. The 26-year-old center reportedly expressed his desire to shift to a playoff-caliber team, and after weighing interest from Indiana, New York, the Clippers, Bucks, Cavs, and Nuggets, he’s chosen to chase titles in L.A.

Per Shams, Ayton will earn $34 million next season—split between his Portland exit and new Lakers contract—after his agents Nima Namakian (Innovate Sports) and Bill Duffy (WME Sports) struck a deal with Lakers GM Rob Pelinka late Wednesday night.

Ayton is expected to step right into the starting center spot, adding size, rebounding, and interior scoring alongside fellow 2018 draft classmate Luka Doncic, who joined the Lakers in a stunning trade that involved All-Star Anthony Davis last season.

At just 27 later this month, Ayton brings plenty of upside and experience. He averaged 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, and shot 56.6% last season—his seventh straight year averaging a double-double. He now joins an elite club of players like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Rudy Gobert, and Nikola Vucevic with that kind of consistent production.

From being the 2018-19 All-Rookie Team centerpiece in Phoenix to anchoring the paint in Portland, Ayton has shown growth both on and off the floor. Trail Blazers officials reportedly praised his leadership and mentoring of rising big men like Donovan Clingan, boosting his reputation around the league.

Now, in L.A., Ayton gets a fresh start and a chance to help bring championship No. 18 to the Lakers. With a retooled lineup, star power, and hunger to win, the Lakers’ latest addition could be the missing piece in a Western Conference arms race.

The LakeShow just got deeper—and Ayton is ready for prime time.