Breakdown
Performance
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July 3, 2026
Traded to Washington
The Lakers are trading Ayton to the Wizards in exchange for Jaden Hardy and two second-round picks, Shams Charania of ESPN reports.
Analysis
Ayton's departure was imminent following the addition of Walker Kessler. In Washington, Ayton figures to be the primary backup to Alex Sarr, filling the void left by the departure of Marvin Bagley. Ayton doesn't seem like an appealing fantasy option on his new team, as he needs a lot of volume and minutes to be worthwhile in standard formats.
June 29, 2026
Exercises player option
Ayton exercised his $8.1 million player option Monday, Shams Charania of ESPN reports.
Analysis
This isn't a huge surprise, but it doesn't mean the Lakers won't try to flip him later on. During his debut season with the Lakers, he made 72 regular-season appearances with averages of 12.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks on 67.1 percent shooting from the field. As things stand heading into free agency, Ayton is penciled in as the starting center.