Deandre Ayton Bolsters the Lakers with a Two-Year Contract
Free agent center Deandre Ayton has agreed to sign a two-year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, according to sources close to the negotiation.
The agreement includes an option for the player, giving him flexibility in his professional future.
Ayton will earn 34 million dollars next season, summing his income from Portland and Los Angeles. Ayton’s agents, Nima Namakian from Innovate Sports and Bill Duffy from WME Sports, closed the deal with Rob Pelinka, president of basketball operations and general manager of the Lakers.
The player finalized a contract buyout with the Trail Blazers on Sunday night, after expressing to the franchise his desire to play on a competitive team. Several teams contacted Blazers general manager Joe Cronin to obtain information about Ayton, receiving positive feedback about his leadership and mentoring of young players.
In Los Angeles, Ayton is shaping up to be the starting center, forming a duo with Luka Doncic, a 2018 draft classmate. Both players were selected in positions 1 and 3 respectively, and have maintained a relationship since then.
Ayton became unrestricted free on Wednesday night and evaluated offers from several teams before deciding on the Lakers. The Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, LA Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Denver Nuggets also showed interest in the player.
Ayton, who will turn 27 on July 23, averaged 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds, with 56.6% field goal percentage last season.
He is the first player to average at least 10 points and 10 rebounds in his first seven seasons in the NBA since Dwight Howard, who began his career in 2004-05. Ayton is also one of four players to achieve this feat in the last seven seasons, along with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Rudy Gobert, and Nikola Vucevic.
Ayton was included in the 2018-19 All-Rookie Team. In his five seasons with the Phoenix Suns, he averaged 16.7 points and 10.4 rebounds, with a 59.7% field goal percentage.
Last season, Ayton only played 40 games with Portland, the second-lowest figure of his career. In the last two seasons, he has participated in 95 out of 164 possible games.
