The Los Angeles Lakers are preparing for their first full season with Luka Doncic as the team’s No. 1 option, and they got him a new lob threat in free agency.
Following two injury-plagued campaigns with the Portland Trail Blazers, Deandre Ayton was bought out of his contract and ultimately joined the Lakers on a two-year, $16.2 million deal. The 2018 No. 1 overall pick saw a steady decline in production after being traded from the Phoenix Suns to Portland in September 2023, averaging 15.6 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists across 31.3 minutes per game over that two-year span.
However, Ayton now has an opportunity to revitalize his career alongside Doncic and LeBron James. With high expectations in Los Angeles, the question is whether the 27-year-old center can deliver.
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NBA analyst predicts career-best season for Deandre Ayton
Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report recently listed one player on each team poised to make the “biggest leap” in 2025-26, predicting Ayton will have a career-best campaign alongside Doncic and James.
“Being paid to go away sometimes serves as a wake-up call,” he wrote. “Ayton will get all the minutes he can handle at center, hasn’t been positioned to succeed like this in years and is still very much in his prime at 27. A career season feels likely for the former No. 1 overall pick.”
Ayton joins a center group of Jaxson Hayes and Maxi Kleber, cementing him as the team’s starter and guaranteeing significant playing time. While Ayton is coming off arguably the worst year of his career, he won’t be asked to carry as much of the load on the Lakers.
Still, expectations remain high for Los Angeles, especially with uncertainty surrounding James’ future entering his 23rd season in the league. Ayton has averaged a double-double every year of his career and fills a clear need for the Lakers.
Durability remains a concern, but paired with Doncic, Ayton could provide high-efficiency finishing that elevates the Lakers’ offense in a role akin to Doncic’s connection with Dereck Lively II on the Dallas Mavericks.
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