Image Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Deandre Ayton Joins Lakers After Buyout in Blockbuster Frontcourt Revamp

Deandre Ayton has officially joined the Lakers after a buyout with the Portland Trail Blazers

Image Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers have made an important move to solidify their roster especially in the defense. Deandre Ayton has signed with the Lakers following a buyout agreement with the Portland Trail Blazers.

After losing Anthony Davis in the blockbuster Luka Doncic trade earlier this year, the Lakers have struggled to maintain defensive solidity. Without reliable bigs, the Lakers exited the NBA Playoffs in the very first round.

Opposing bigs like Randle, and Gobert dominated the paint against a depleted Lakers frontcourt. Rob Pelinka made one of his cornerstone strategies to improvise the front court this off season. However, options have remained limited.

Deandre Ayton will become the NINTH No. 1 overall pick to team up with Bron 👑:

-Ayton
-Anthony Davis
-Dwight Howard
-D-Rose
-Kyrie
-Andrew Bogut
-Greg Oden
-Shaq
-Joe Smith pic.twitter.com/utTAv5Patg
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 3, 2025

Ayton and the Trail Blazers fell out due to internal disagreements, ultimately leading to a buyout. Moreover, the 26-year-old was desperate to move and join a team that has stronger winning credentials.

Portland owed Ayton $35.6 million for 2025–26, but he agreed to return $10 million as part of the buyout arrangement. The move cleared $25.6 million off the cap sheet, giving Portland flexibility to invest in young talents like Donovan Clingan and rookie Yang Hansen.

Ayton-Lakers Deal Boosts Defensive Hopes

The Lakers signed Deandre Ayton to a two-year, $16.6 million deal. Thats an $8 million annual average which is a huge drop from his Portland Trail Blazers contract. However, the 26-year-old is still expected to earn around $33.7M total in 2025–26 ( $25.6M from Portland (buyout) and $8.1M from LA).

Ayton hopes to rejuvenate his career after an underwhelming stint in Portland marred by inconsistency and questions over his role. He will now be a part of a strong Lakers’ side that is expected to fight for the NBA Title.

However, Ayton must prioritize his conditioning, as previous seasons were plagued by injury setbacks and inconsistent form. He featured in 40 games last season averaging 30.2 minutes in action.