The Los Angeles Lakers were in desperate need of a center and Deandre Ayton was in desperate need of a new team. The result ended up being the Lakers putting stock in Ayton being able to revive his career in Los Angeles. On Sunday, the Lakers officially signed Ayton to a two-year deal worth $16.6M. Ayton’s contract has a player option in its second year, leaving the door open that he could leave Los Angeles after the 2025-26 season. While the reaction to Ayton in purple and gold has been all over the place, he has a very high upside that creates the potential for this move to be one of the most underrated of the entire offseason. Some have questioned why the Lakers would go into business with a player two prior franchises gave up on instead of signing one of the other available centers on the market. But the easy answer is Ayton’s talent and his production make him worth the gamble. In 40 games with Portland this past season, Ayton averaged 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists and shot 56.6% from theRead More
Deandre Ayton could become a steal for the Lakers
