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The Los Angeles Lakers have officially added DeAndre Ayton to their roster, completing a long-awaited pairing with superstar Luka Doncic.
The duo had been “motivated” to join forces ever since they entered the league together in 2018, NBA insider Marc Stein revealed.
“Ayton and Luka Dončić have been pals since they were selected No. 1 overall and No. 3, respectively, in the 2018 NBA Draft,” Stein wrote. “The prospect of the pair becoming teammates first materialized five years later when the [Dallas] Mavericks entered into advanced trade talks with Phoenix to acquire Ayton in conjunction with the 2023 NBA Draft. Yet those talks ultimately collapsed. Only now, two years on, will Ayton and Dončić officially become teammates later Sunday. The Bahamian big man asked the [Portland] Trail Blazers to buy out the final season of his contract and he committed Wednesday to teaming up with the Slovenian star after clearing waivers. The players share an agent – WME Sports’ head of basketball Bill Duffy – and were motivated to team up given the Lakers’ well-chronicled need for a front-line center.”
The Lakers signed Ayton to a two-year deal shortly after his buyout from Portland. The move fills a glaring hole at center after Jaxson Hayes was benched in the 2025 playoffs.
LAL sent Anthony Davis to Dallas last season in the blockbuster trade for Doncic, leaving them thin up front. With Ayton now in the fold, the Lakers believe they’ve found a perfect complement for Doncic’s skillset.
Ayton averaged 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and one block per game on 56.6 percent shooting last season with the Blazers.
He has recorded a double-double every year of his career and was instrumental in Phoenix’s run to the 2021 NBA Finals.
READ MORE: Is a LeBron James Buyout on the Cards?
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