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The Los Angeles Lakers are trading Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards, a deal that moves the former Phoenix Suns center to his fourth NBA team.
The Lakers are receiving Jaden Hardy and two future second-round picks, per ESPN's Shams Charania.
Ayton was a standout for the University of Arizona.
He was drafted No. 1 overall in 2018 by the Suns -- his now-former Lakers teammate Luka Doncic was drafted No. 3 overall that year -- and was the starting center for a Lakers team that included Doncic and LeBron James. With Doncic injured, Los Angeles won its first-round playoff series this past season over Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets before being swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Ayton, who turns 28 on July 23, played five seasons in Phoenix, then was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in 2023 along with forward Toumani Camara for guard Keon Johnson, forward Nassir Little and center Jusuf Nurkic. He finalized a buyout with Portland and joined the Lakers before the 2025-26 season.
Opting in to his $8.1 million player option for the coming season, Ayton then found the Lakers were acquiring former Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler, making Ayton expendable.
The Wizards have the frequently injured veteran Anthony Davis as their starting center.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Lakers trading former Suns center Deandre Ayton to Washington Wizards
Continue reading...
The Lakers are receiving Jaden Hardy and two future second-round picks, per ESPN's Shams Charania.
Ayton was a standout for the University of Arizona.
He was drafted No. 1 overall in 2018 by the Suns -- his now-former Lakers teammate Luka Doncic was drafted No. 3 overall that year -- and was the starting center for a Lakers team that included Doncic and LeBron James. With Doncic injured, Los Angeles won its first-round playoff series this past season over Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets before being swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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Ayton, who turns 28 on July 23, played five seasons in Phoenix, then was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in 2023 along with forward Toumani Camara for guard Keon Johnson, forward Nassir Little and center Jusuf Nurkic. He finalized a buyout with Portland and joined the Lakers before the 2025-26 season.
Opting in to his $8.1 million player option for the coming season, Ayton then found the Lakers were acquiring former Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler, making Ayton expendable.
The Wizards have the frequently injured veteran Anthony Davis as their starting center.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Lakers trading former Suns center Deandre Ayton to Washington Wizards
Continue reading...
