BREAKING: Los Angeles Lakers Sign Former No. 1 Pick Deandre Ayton to Two-Year Deal After Portland Buyout

### BREAKING: Los Angeles Lakers Sign Former No. 1 Pick Deandre Ayton to Two-Year Deal After Portland Buyout

 

LOS ANGELES — In a stunning free-agency coup that addresses the Lakers’ most glaring roster hole, the **Los Angeles Lakers** have agreed to terms with center **Deandre Ayton** on a two-year, $16.6 million contract, league sources confirmed to ESPN’s Shams Charania on Wednesday night. The 2018 No. 1 overall pick, fresh off a buyout from the Portland Trail Blazers, chose the Lakers over a crowded field of contenders — including the Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, LA Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Denver Nuggets — to pair with superstars LeBron James and Luka Dončić in pursuit of championship No. 18.

 

Ayton, who turns 27 next week, finalized his buyout with Portland on Sunday, forfeiting roughly $10 million of his $35.6 million salary for 2025-26 to hit unrestricted free agency. The Blazers, loaded with young bigs like Donovan Clingan and Robert Williams III, granted Ayton’s wish for a “winning situation.” He will earn $8.1 million from the Lakers this season (the remainder of their non-taxpayer mid-level exception) plus $25.6 million from Portland’s buyout payout — totaling over $33 million while donning purple and gold.

 

The deal includes a player option for 2026-27, giving Ayton flexibility after what he hopes will be a renaissance year in Hollywood.

 

“This is the perfect landing spot,” a source close to Ayton told The Athletic. “DA wanted to play with elite playmakers who can feed him lobs and open threes. Luka and LeBron? That’s the best pick-and-roll partnership in the league. He’s motivated — this is about proving he’s still that dominant force from the 2021 Finals run.”

 

Lakers GM Rob Pelinka, under immense pressure after trading Anthony Davis to Dallas for Dončić in February’s blockbuster and watching the team get bullied inside during a five-game playoff exit to Minnesota, wasted no time. Sources say Pelinka personally recruited Ayton, emphasizing how the 7-foot Bahamian would thrive as the vertical threat the offense desperately needed. Dončić, the No. 3 pick in that same 2018 draft, reportedly lobbied hard, excited to finally share the floor with the player taken two spots ahead of him.

 

The fit is undeniable. Ayton has never averaged fewer than a double-double in his seven NBA seasons (career: 16.7 points, 10.5 rebounds on 59.2% shooting). In Phoenix, he was the roll man in the league’s most lethal pick-and-roll attack alongside Chris Paul and Devin Booker, helping lead the Suns to the 2021 NBA Finals where he averaged 15.8 points and 11.8 rebounds. His athleticism, soft touch around the rim, and improved mid-range game make him the ideal finisher for Dončić’s wizardry and James’ bullet passes.

 

Defensively, Ayton has flashed rim-protection upside — posting 1.0+ blocks in five seasons — though consistency has been his Achilles’ heel. Lakers coach JJ Redick, known for modern spacing schemes, believes Ayton’s mobility at 250 pounds allows him to switch in space and anchor drop coverage, addressing the void left by Davis’ departure.

 

The courtship wasn’t one-sided. Multiple teams pursued Ayton aggressively. The Clippers pushed hard with Brook Lopez signing elsewhere, while Milwaukee eyed him before pivoting to Myles Turner. The Knicks and Pacers (who once signed Ayton to an offer sheet Phoenix matched) saw him as the missing piece for contention. But Los Angeles won out with star power, market size, and immediate title aspirations.

 

“Opportunity, minutes, repetition — this route is the best next step,” Ayton told reporters in his first comments since the buyout. “I have a lot of basketball left. I’m hungry.”

 

The move reunites Ayton with winning after two frustrating years in Portland, where he averaged 15.7 points and 10.5 rebounds but clashed with the front office over effort and missed a chunk of 2024-25 with injury. Blazers insiders praised his leadership with young bigs like Clingan, but the relationship soured amid rebuild priorities.

 

For the Lakers, it’s addition by subtraction — and addition. After relying on Jaxson Hayes and Christian Wood at center last season (both exposed against Rudy Gobert), Ayton provides size, scoring, and rebounding the team hasn’t had since Dwight Howard’s prime. Early projected lineups have Dončić, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, James, and Ayton — a blend of playmaking, shooting, and interior dominance that could terrorize the West.

 

Reaction poured in instantly. “DA in LA? That’s scary hours,” tweeted former Suns teammate Booker. Dončić posted a simple eyes emoji on Instagram. LeBron, ever the recruiter, welcomed Ayton with a “Let’s get it 👑” reply.

 

Critics will point to Ayton’s perceived lack of motor and playoff inconsistencies, but supporters counter that surrounded by this talent — and on a prove-it deal — he’s primed for a bounce-back. One Western Conference executive told Yahoo Sports: “If Ayton plays like contract-year Ayton (17.2/10.2 on 63% in 2021-22), the Lakers are Finals favorites. No question.”

 

Ayton is expected to report to El Segundo next week for physicals and summer workouts. He could make his unofficial debut in July’s California Classic before suiting up for training camp in September.

 

As Crypto.com Arena prepares for another star-studded season, the Lakers have answered their biggest question: Who replaces AD? The answer, improbably, is the guy drafted one spot ahead of Luka.

 

Welcome 2025-26 just got a whole lot more interesting in Tinseltown. Welcome to the Lake Show, DominAyton.

 

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