NBA Trade Report: Deandre Ayton agrees to a two-year, $16.6 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers have finally made a move to add strength and depth to their frontcourt, agreeing to a two-year, $16.6 million deal with center Deandre Ayton after he was bought out by the Portland Trail Blazers.

National Basketball Association (NBA) insider and The Stein Line’s Jake Fischer announced the development on social networking platform X (formerly known as Twitter).

“Deandre Ayton’s contract with the Lakers is for two years, starting at $8.1 million for this 2025–26 NBA campaign. He is still due $25.6 million from Portland this season, following his buyout from the Trail Blazers,” Fischer wrote.

“It’s a two-year, $16.6 million agreement between Deandre Ayton and Los Angeles, hitting the Lakers’ books for 2025–26 and 2026–27. Player option in Year 2,” he added.

Ayton joins the Lakers after his contract was bought out by Portland’s management, where he was originally set to earn $35 million in the upcoming season. In total, the center will earn $33.7 million this season—$8.1 million from the Lakers and $25.6 million from Portland.

It’s a two-year, $16.6 million agreement between Deandre Ayton and Los Angeles, hitting the Lakers’ books for 2025-26 and 2026-27. Player option in Year 2. https://t.co/VvAeVs72cD

— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) July 2, 2025

Ayton is a smart acquisition for the Los Angeles franchise, providing a reliable scoring option in the paint. He is coming off a season in Portland where he averaged 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. The 26-year-old is one of only four players to average at least 10 points and 10 rebounds per game in each of the last seven seasons, joining elite company in Giannis Antetokounmpo, Rudy Gobert, and Nikola Vucevic.

He brings valuable experience to the Lakers’ frontcourt as a seven-year NBA veteran, with career averages of 16.4 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.0 block per game, while shooting 59.0 percent from the field in 398 regular-season games.

However, his health remains a concern. Ayton has dealt with recurring lower back issues, ankle problems, and knee soreness throughout his career. His 2024–25 season ended early due to a calf strain.

Selected as the first overall pick by the Phoenix Suns in the 2018 NBA Draft, Ayton spent five years in Phoenix before being traded to the Trail Blazers. He won the 2018 Karl Malone Award and was named to the 2019 NBA All-Rookie First Team.

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