Bahamian big man DeAndre Ayton is officially off the market. He will join the Los Angeles Lakers for the upcoming 2025-26 National Basketball Association (NBA) season.
Ayton, who was recently bought out by the Portland Trail Blazers, signed a two-year deal with the Lakers after clearing waivers on Wednesday evening.
The gifted center will become the third Bahamian player to suit up for the franchise, following in the footsteps of L.A. greats Mychal ‘Sweet Bells’ Thompson and Rick Fox.
The 26-year-old former number one overall draft pick will fill a void in the Lakers’ frontcourt, as the team was searching for a center to complement the talents of NBA superstars LeBron James and Luka Dončić.
Last season, Ayton averaged 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game while shooting 56.6 percent from the field in 40 games played.
He has averaged a double-double in each of his seven years in the league, and is the first player since Dwight Howard to average at least 10 points and 10 rebounds in each of his first seven seasons. Additionally, he is one of just four players to average at least 10 points and 10 rebounds over the last seven seasons, joining Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, Rudy Gobert, of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Nikola Vučević, of the Chicago Bulls.
The Lakers’ season ended in anticlimactic fashion as they were eliminated in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves, falling 4-1 in the series.
Over in the Eastern Conference, Bahamian NBA veteran Eric ‘EJ’ Gordon will return to the ‘City of Brotherly Love’ for a second straight season.
After declining his $3.4 million player option on Sunday, Gordon rejoined the Philadelphia 76ers on a one-year veteran minimum deal on Tuesday night.
The 36-year-old sharpshooter will return to the roster and join fellow Bahamian guard Valdez ‘VJ’ Edgecombe, who was selected third overall in the NBA Draft last Wednesday.
Gordon first came to Philadelphia via free agency last season, following a one-year stint with the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference.
The Sixers’ shooting guard appeared in 39 games last season, averaging 6.8 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game, while shooting 42.6 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from three-point range.
Gordon scored in double figures in 14 games, and his 40.9 percent shooting from beyond the three-point arc marked the fourth-highest percentage of his career. Gordon now ranks among the top 10 active NBA players in total three-pointers made, with 2,084.
His season was cut short in February due to a right wrist injury that required arthroscopic surgery and a three-month recovery process.
The Sixers will be looking to bounce back next season after falling short of expectations in their pursuit of Eastern Conference championship contention.
Philadelphia entered last season as fringe title contenders after signing free agent Paul George. However, a slow start and a string of injuries left the team with a 24-58 win/loss record, finishing 13th in the east.
The team has re-signed several key players, including Kelly Oubre Jr., Andre Drummond, and Gordon.
Gordon is no stranger to playing alongside Bimini native ‘VJ’ Edgecombe. The two were teammates on the senior men’s national basketball team for The Bahamas that came within reach of Olympic qualification at the 2025 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament last summer.
During that tournament, Gordon averaged 14 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game, shooting 43.9 percent from the field and 43.5 percent from three-point range.
It will be interesting to see how the Sixers aim to turn things around in the upcoming 2025-26 NBA season.