Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic and newcomer Deandre Ayton were both selected in the 2018 NBA Draft, and it appears that the two were intrigued by the prospect of teaming up in Los Angeles.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Ayton and Doncic were “motivated” to team up with Ayton hitting free agency this offseason.
“Ayton and Luka Dončić have been pals since they were selected No. 1 overall and No. 3, respectively, in the 2018 NBA Draft,” Stein wrote.
“The prospect of the pair becoming teammates first materialized five years later when the [Dallas] Mavericks entered into advanced trade talks with Phoenix to acquire Ayton in conjunction with the 2023 NBA Draft. Yet those talks ultimately collapsed.
“Only now, two years on, will Ayton and Dončić officially become teammates later Sunday. The Bahamian big man asked the [Portland] Trail Blazers to buy out the final season of his contract and he committed Wednesday to teaming up with the Slovenian star after clearing waivers.
“The players share an agent — WME Sports’ head of basketball Bill Duffy — and were motivated to team up given the Lakers’ well-chronicled need for a front-line center.”
The Lakers ultimately agreed to a two-year deal with Ayton after he was bought out of his deal with the Blazers. The move gives the Lakers a massive upgrade at center after they ended up benching Jaxson Hayes in the playoffs during the 2024-25 season.
Los Angeles has been in need of a center ever since it sent star Anthony Davis to Dallas in the deal for Doncic. Now, the team has a young running mate with Doncic that could end up becoming a key piece for the team in the future.
Ayton averaged 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.0 block per game while shooting 56.6 percent from the field with Portland in the 2024-25 season. He has averaged a double-double in every season in his NBA career, and he was a key part of the Phoenix team that made the NBA Finals in the 2020-21 season.
The Lakers finished the 2024-25 season with the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, but they lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs in five games.
Now that the Lakers have Doncic on the roster for a full season, they’re hoping to make a lot more noise in the postseason in the 2025-26 campaign. Plus, the Lakers likely want to maximize LeBron James’ 2025-26 season, as he is in the last season of his contract with the franchise after opting into his player option.
Ayton is a clear upgrade over Hayes on the offensive end, and he should make the Lakers tougher to defend in the 2025-26 season.
Hopefully, Ayton will prove to be a perfect running mate for Doncic and the two can partner for years to come in Los Angeles.