The NBA free agency period is officially underway. A lot of teams have already made moves post-NBA Draft. The Lakers are no exception. They already brought in Jake LaRavia as their first signing in free agency. However, the team could make a huge splash with their latest free agency target.
The Portland Trail Blazers just bought Deandre Ayton out of the last year of his contract. The former No. 1 overall pick is now an unrestricted free agent. He was due $35.6 million in the final year of his deal with the Trailblazers. The Blazers have now freed themselves of this contract and can sign other players.
Lakers Must Sign Deandre Ayton to Save Their Offseason
For Ayton, he is now free to sign anywhere. He has made it known that he is interested in signing with a championship contender.
Ayton averaged 14.4 points, grabbed 10.2 rebounds, and dished out 1.6 assists per game for the 2024-2025 season. This production would be a great addition for the Lakers. He could see his production increase significantly playing next to LeBron James and Luka Doncic. Those two players draw a lot of attention on the offensive end, meaning a lot of open looks and dunks for Ayton if he were to sign with the Lakers.
Signing Ayton could be a major game-changer for the Lakers franchise. A dynamic big man who can hold down the starting center role is what the team has been looking for. This has been a hole the team has been looking to fill for a few years.
This could also be a mutually beneficial signing. Ayton will be encouraged to play on a championship contender, and James and Doncic could push him to become the next Lakers great. The potential is there, and this could be the perfect situation to help him reach his full potential as a player.