The Los Angeles Lakers traded Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards for Jaden Hardy and two second-round draft picks, and the biggest beneficiary was Anthony Davis. Fans know AD spent years wanting to play the four, and the Wizards will grant that wish with Ayton and Sarr taking up the 48 minutes at center. The Lakers got some needed draft capital, but Davis got his wish and can point to this as a mistake by his former team.
Los Angeles made AD a center because that is where he’s most effective. He is an elite defender, scorer, and rebounder, but Davis is a career 29.5 percent 3-point shooter. Playing him at the four next to a non-shooting big man can be a problem. The Wizards are already benefiting from his leadership, and are taking care for Davis.
Fans heard the rumors early in the offseason, but Washington has no desire to trade the ten-time All-Star. The Wizards want to get back into contention and know AD helps. They have made moves to play him at his preferred position and want Davis to feel comfortable. The 6’10 big man was the biggest winner of the Ayton trade.
Anthony Davis is the biggest winner of the Lakers’ Deandre Ayton trade
Washington traded for a talented big man with warts. Ayton was the Lakers’ starter and averaged over 27 minutes per game. The Wizards are committed to developing Alex Sarr, which means the three men will eat the majority of the minutes at the four and the five in the nation’s capital.
Sarr and Ayton are centers. Davis will be the power forward in their two big man lineups. In his final two and a half seasons in Los Angeles, AD played more than 95 percent of his minutes at the five. The Lakers weren’t even letting him play spot minutes at the four, despite his wish for a center. Davis must be pumped to play in his preferred position again.
LeBron and AD likely have some hard feelings for the Lakers. Davis was traded in the Luka Doncic deal, and LA immediately started looking for a long-term center to pair with number 77. They gave up significant draft capital to get Walker Kessler this summer, which had to be a gut punch to the former star duo.
The Lakers got two second-round draft picks in the Ayton trade. They now have one first-round pick swap and three second-rounders to trade in upgrading their roster. The purple and gold need a starting power forward and would love to add more depth. They would have had just one swap and one second-rounder before this trade. The Lakers gained some flexibility in the Ayton deal, but Davis got a wish he’s waited years for.
AD hasn’t primarily played at the four since 2021. It has been a half-decade, but the Wizards granted his wish with the Ayton trade. The future Hall of Famer is already making an impact in Washington, and it should only get better when he finally gets on the court.
The Los Angeles Lakers had to move on from Deandre Ayton. They were happy to get two second-round draft picks, but Anthony Davis was the biggest winner. Fans can bet he feels vindicated for his demands after the Wizards made this trade. Washington clearly thinks he should play at the four. The Lakers hope to be proven right, but only time will tell.
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