The Los Angeles Lakers came into the NBA offseason badly needing a new starting center. After rumors connected them to quite a few options, the Lakers decided to sign Deandre Ayton following his buyout from the Portland Trail Blazers.
Ayton was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Of course, that was the same draft Luka Doncic was selected at No. 3 overall by the Atlanta Hawks and then traded to the Dallas Mavericks.
Now, the two top 2018 picks will have a chance to team up and play together.
Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images
Since being drafted, Ayton has not been able to live up to the hype that surrounded him at the time. He has shown flashes of stardom, but those flashes have not turned into consistency.
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Joining forces with Doncic and LeBron James could be exactly what Ayton needs to take the next step and play up to his full potential.
Following his decision to sign with Los Angeles, Ayton spoke out boldly about Doncic.
“Luka is a once-in-a-generation player and I’m happy to be his teammate,” Ayton said. “Hearing about the kind of shape he’s been in, he’s super ripped and I’m finally glad to be on his side.”
During the 2024-25 NBA season with the Trail Blazers, Ayton played in 40 games. He averaged 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and a block per game, while shooting 56.6 percent from the floor.
Back in the 2023-24 campaign in his first year with Portland, he averaged 16.7 points per game to go along with 11.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, a steal, and 0.8 blocks per game.
At just 26 years old, Ayton is in his prime. He’s more than capable of taking a big step with the Lakers and becoming a legitimate star. It’s a great fit from a basketball perspective and Doncic will help him in a big way.
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In addition to talking about playing with Doncic, Ayton also sent out his first message on social media since joining Los Angeles.
“New chapter. Let’s hoop, Lakers Nation #LakeShow,” his post read.
It will be interesting to see what Ayton is able to accomplish with the Lakers. He’s exactly the kind of presence Los Angeles needed at the center position and will be asked to shoulder a big role as the team looks to become a championship contender.
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