Deandre Ayton has signed with the Los Angeles Lakers! He is now joining forces with fellow star players Luka Doncic and LeBron James. The news of his signing comes following Ayton being bought out of his deal with the Portland Trail Blazers. He’s signed a two-year, $16.6 million contract (with a player option in Year 2). Needless to say, the Lakers are making this move with an eye toward upgrading their roster considerably. They want to address their most glaring need at the five.
Ayton expressed his enthusiasm about joining the Lakers, stating, “I feel like the Lakers were the best position for me. They want to win a championship right now and I want to win right now as well and just be part of a winning legacy and be around winners.” His decision speaks to his desire to find immediate success and the organization’s commitment to getting back in the hunt for an NBA championship.
The addition of Ayton significantly enhances the Lakers’ roster, especially considering they now boast two of the league’s elite playmakers in Doncic and James. Ayton acknowledged their impressive stats, mentioning, “They both average about nine assists over their career span. They turn [their teammates] into superstars, they make them bigger than their roles, they make them very important on the floor.”
Luka Doncic, already considered a once-in-a-generation talent, could completely transform the Lakers’ offensive ecosystem. His knack for making his teammates perform better has been the reason why Ayton’s arrival comes not a moment too soon. He understood the unique opportunity it would be to play alongside so many high-IQ players.
This all seems radically untrue, like something yet feels like a video game, like somebody placed it up. That’s an opportunity that I am not going to take for granted. Luka is a once-in-a-generation player, and I’m happy to be his teammate,” Ayton added, expressing his eagerness to contribute to the team’s success.
LeBron James has made his decision. That decision is to, indeed, opt into the final year of his $52.6 million contract. He’s going to start his league-record 23rd season! His addition next to Doncic and now Ayton makes the Lakers instant favorites for this season. Rich Paul, James’s agent, emphasized the importance of winning: “LeBron wants to compete for a championship. He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all.”
The Lakers haven’t just been giving Doncic an opportunity to be the future of their franchise. The Magic are prepared to offer him a max four-year extension of $229 million that can begin on August 2. Or, they are floating a three-year, $165 million agreement with a 2028 player option. These decisions illustrate the league’s most-popular club’s commitment to constructing a competitive roster in short and long terms.
Ayton’s arrival is a huge departure from his time with the Trail Blazers. There, he experienced challenges that stunted his professional advancement. Reflecting on his past experiences, he remarked, “…the last two years were just a different route for me and I just learned a lot that when you don’t win in this league, you can be forgotten.”
Ayton’s upcoming tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers represents an exciting new chapter in what has already been a rollercoaster NBA career. It fits hand-in-glove with his desire to play within a winning culture. As the team prepares for the 2023-2024 season… Fans are already looking forward to seeing the full power of Ayton’s paint game complement Doncic’s floor game and James’s everything game.
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