Former No. 1 overall pick DeAndre Ayton did not have to wait very long to find a new team this offseason.
The free agent center agreed to a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers Wednesday night, according to a report from ESPN. He will earn $34 million next year with some of the payment coming from the Lakers and some coming from the Portland Trail Blazers, his former team.
Ayton finalized a buyout of his contract with the Blazers on Sunday, June 29 after Ayton and his representatives had expressed discontentment with the organization and a desire to play for a winning franchise.
Ayton has been part of a winning franchise before, offering a solid rim presence for the 2021 Phoenix Suns, who ultimately lost in the NBA Finals to the Milwaukee Bucks. He now joins the same Lakers team that pulled off the biggest trade in the league this past season when they acquired Luka Dončić from the Dallas Maverick. Los Angeles looks to have another season of LeBron James in its future as well.
Were other teams interested in DeAndre Ayton?
Yes. According to ESPN, the Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks, and Cleveland Cavaliers had all expressed interest in Ayton.
The reason a deal was not stuck sooner was because it took a few days for Ayton to clear waivers after the buyout.
DeAndre Ayton stats
During the 2024-25 season, Ayton averaged 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game across 40 contests. Ayton has played at least 40 games in every season he has played barring the shortened 2020 season. Furthermore, he is the first player since Dwight Howard to average over 10 points and 10 rebounds per game in each of his first seven seasons.
Ayton was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. He is now paired with Dončić, who went third overall in that same draft. The Lakers are the third team for each player, considering Dončić was originally drafted by the Atlanta Hawks.