According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Deandre Ayton has picked up his $8.1 million player option to return to the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2026-27 season. Ayton was okay last year, but the Lakers could use an upgrade. And luckily for Luka Doncic, Ayton opting into his player option gives the Lakers a bit more flexibility in trades.
Ayton’s $8.1 million isn’t nothing. That’s pretty useful money when it comes to getting a deal done on the trade market. They could use his salary combined with some others on their roster to land an upgrade at the center position or a different position of need.
So, while at first glance Ayton accepting his player option may not seem ideal, it does give the Lakers another tool to use on the trade market.
Lakers can now trade Deandre Ayton for Luka Doncic
When the Lakers signed Ayton in free agency last season, it was viewed as a solid move. The Lakers were taking a chance on a guy who could potentially get back to the guy he once was.
At his best, Ayton was a starter on a championship-caliber team. He was the starting center on the Phoenix Suns when they made the NBA Finals in 2021, ultimately losing to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Ayton’s interior defense and rebounding were huge parts of the Suns’ success that year, but throughout his time in Phoenix, his relationship with Monty Williams declined, and they ended up trading him a few years after that Finals run.
He didn’t pan out with the Portland Trail Blazers, but in the case of the Lakers, it provided Ayton a chance to play with elite playmakers again. Ones who could set him up perfectly.
And though Ayton put up decent stats this past year in LA, he just wasn’t great. Jaxson Hayes outplayed him at times, and it’s become painfully obvious that the Lakers need a center upgrade.
If they want to help Doncic and Austin Reaves succeed at the highest level, they need a much better pick-and-roll threat. A much better interior defender. A much better hustle guy.
Had Ayton declined his $8.1 million player option, the Lakers would have had a bit more money to work with in free agency. But he accepted the option.
Now, the Lakers should be able to use his contract on the trade market, which is a positive spin to put on things. The Lakers can trade Ayton to help Doncic.
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