The Los Angeles Lakers went into the offseason with one abundantly clear need, and that was to add a starting center. When the buzzer sounded on June 30, it wasn’t long before the team’s presumed top targets were off the board, namely Brook Lopez and Clint Capela. But ultimately, it worked out for L.A. after Deandre Ayton was bought out by the Portland Trail Blazers and promptly signed with the Lakers.
The days between Lopez signing with the L.A. Clippers, Capela signing with the Houston Rockets and Ayton signing with the Lakers came with some anxiety for fans. Especially after rumors leaked that Lopez turned down a starting role with the Lakers to back up Ivica Zubac in Inglewood. However, those reports may have not carried much weight.
As NBA Insider Marc Stein reports, the Lakers appeared to have their sights set on Ayton from the onset of free agency:
I believe that Deandre Ayton was the Lakers’ top target among centers from the first minute of free agency. I know it might have looked to some like the Lakers lost out to the Clippers on Brook Lopez and pivoted to Ayton, but that’s not how it went down. Ayton and the Trail Blazers came to terms on a buyout agreement on the day before free agency officially began and the 7-foot Bahamian was instantly regarded by numerous interested teams as a virtual lock to land with the Lakers.
Generally, buyouts are not something that materialize on a whim merely hours before they are announced. Buyouts take a complex balance of market research to ensure that players make the money they give up back in their new deal. For that reason, it’s often days before a buyout agreement is announced publicly.
So it stands to reason that Ayton was — in theory — available from Day 1 of free agency, and the Lakers knew they had a chance to land him when Lopez and Capela came off the board.
The center market appeared to work out well for all involved. Capela got three years to return to Houston, Lopez got more than the Lakers were willing to offer to be a back up for the Lakers and the purple and gold got the guy they wanted all along in Ayton.
Deandre Ayton reveals lessons learned so far
As a former No. 1 overall pick, Deandre Ayton has had his off-court struggles and is searching for a situation to rehab his value. During his introductory press conference, the 26-year-old detailed what he has learned so far in his seven-year career that will hopefully lead to a revitalization.
“True professionalism,” Ayton said. “I feel like I’ve just been absent for a little bit in this league. And hard work, I’ve just been trying to put in as much work as I possibly can. When I’m on the floor, I want to really just show the world and prove to everybody that I am a winner. Any position I’m in, I just want to really win and sacrifice the way I did coming into this league.”
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