The Los Angeles Lakers have spent the early NBA offseason upgrading their roster following their latest disappointing playoff run. General manager Rob Pelinka used a second-round pick on Arkansas standout Adou Thiero before signing veterans Deandre Ayton and Jake LaRavia in free agency, making it interesting to see if these moves will translate to on-court results.
Although each of the Lakers' offseason additions has the potential to make a real difference in head coach JJ Redick's lineup next season, one name has a better shot at providing more value than the others.
Deandre Ayton Will Be Lakers' Best Value Signing of 2025 Offseason
The Lakers needed frontcourt help once the offseason began; however, financial restraints were seemingly going to leave GM Pelinka's hands tied. Most experts and fans thought L.A. would be limited to signing veterans to minimum deals or turning to the trade market for help. At least, that was the case until the Portland Trail Blazers bought Deandre Ayton out before free agency began.
With both sides not liking where their partnership was heading, Ayton's release opened the door for the Lakers to sign him to an extremely affordable deal. He joined the franchise on a guaranteed two-year, $16.2 million contract that includes an $8.1 million player option.
Normally, it'd be absurd to think a player of Ayton's caliber would sign for that amount, but the fact that he gave up $10 million of the $35.6 million Portland owed him made him willing to sign below market value.
An average annual value just north of $8 million is great for an experienced center with over 400 games between the regular season and playoffs under his belt. Although his 2024-25 output left much to be desired (14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds with .566/.188/.667 splits), Ayton's performance still exceeds his cap hit next season.
Besides, it's hard not to imagine Ayton potentially having his best year to date now that he's a Laker. While the ex-Arizona product has played with talented facilitators like Chris Paul and Ricky Rubio before, the LeBron James-Luka Doncic tandem is the best playmaking duo he's shared a roster with. If he can use his athleticism to make the most of his teammates' skills, Ayton could be in the mix for his first NBA All-Star appearance.
Barring any injuries or off-field issues, signing Ayton is already shaping up to be the Lakers' best summertime move. Even if he doesn't work out as planned, his contract is affordable and short enough that it won't have long-term implications on L.A.'s cap situation.