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On Sunday, the NBA's annual moratorium on player transactions ended, and teams were able to officially execute trades and sign free agents.
The Los Angeles Lakers got center Deandre Ayton and forward Jake LaRavia to agree to sign with them in recent days, and on Sunday, both of them officially signed their contracts. Los Angeles also re-signed center Jaxson Hayes.
The team officially announced all three signings on its X (formerly known as Twitter) account. General manager Rob Pelinka also issued brief statements on the acquisitions of Ayton and LaRavia, two players who have the ability to raise the team's ceiling this coming season.
Ayton has career averages of 16.4 points and 10.5 rebounds a game in seven NBA seasons. While his defense has left a lot to be desired, he should give the Lakers a legitimate rim-running lob threat who can thrive alongside Luka Doncic. He should also help them improve their defensive rebounding, which has been one of their biggest weaknesses over the last couple of seasons.
LaRavia, a 6-foot-7, 235-pound forward, made 42.3% of his 3-point attempts this past season and has the ability to be disruptive defensively. He plays with a high motor and has the potential to be a glue guy for L.A.
Hayes averaged 6.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 19.5 minutes a game this past season. After being the Lakers' starting center following the Anthony Davis-Doncic trade on Feb. 1, Hayes will now be their backup center behind Ayton.
The team isn't necessarily done shaping its roster for the 2025-26 season. Reportedly, people around the league expect it to sign De'Anthony Melton, a 3-and-D guard, and it is also reportedly interested in guard Ryan Rollins.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers officially sign Deandre Ayton, Jake LaRavia, Jaxson Hayes
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The Los Angeles Lakers got center Deandre Ayton and forward Jake LaRavia to agree to sign with them in recent days, and on Sunday, both of them officially signed their contracts. Los Angeles also re-signed center Jaxson Hayes.
The team officially announced all three signings on its X (formerly known as Twitter) account. General manager Rob Pelinka also issued brief statements on the acquisitions of Ayton and LaRavia, two players who have the ability to raise the team's ceiling this coming season.
OFFICIAL: Welcome to the Purple & Gold, Deandre pic.twitter.com/XjcjJ5Myh7
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 7, 2025
“Deandre’s size, mobility and athleticism will allow both paint scoring and paint protection. Deandre’s playoff experience as a starter on an NBA Finals team also aligns well with our ultimate Lakers championship aspirations.” - Rob Pelinka
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 7, 2025
OFFICIAL: Jake LaRavia — Laker. pic.twitter.com/leAhyXuijG
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 7, 2025
“Jake is a high IQ two-way player with ideal skills for a JJ Redick basketball system. He’s a disruptive defender who uses his size and physicality to create turnovers. Offensively, he can score at all three levels and has a knack for creating space for himself and his…
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 7, 2025
Ayton has career averages of 16.4 points and 10.5 rebounds a game in seven NBA seasons. While his defense has left a lot to be desired, he should give the Lakers a legitimate rim-running lob threat who can thrive alongside Luka Doncic. He should also help them improve their defensive rebounding, which has been one of their biggest weaknesses over the last couple of seasons.
LaRavia, a 6-foot-7, 235-pound forward, made 42.3% of his 3-point attempts this past season and has the ability to be disruptive defensively. He plays with a high motor and has the potential to be a glue guy for L.A.
Hayes averaged 6.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 19.5 minutes a game this past season. After being the Lakers' starting center following the Anthony Davis-Doncic trade on Feb. 1, Hayes will now be their backup center behind Ayton.
The team isn't necessarily done shaping its roster for the 2025-26 season. Reportedly, people around the league expect it to sign De'Anthony Melton, a 3-and-D guard, and it is also reportedly interested in guard Ryan Rollins.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers officially sign Deandre Ayton, Jake LaRavia, Jaxson Hayes
Continue reading...