In one of the more surprising moves of the pre-free agency period in the NBA, the Portland Trail Blazers plan to buy out Deandre Ayton's contract and make him an unrestricted free agent, according to Shams Charania of ESPN. Suddenly, a very weak center market gets a big name, and a big body. Plenty of teams will vie for Ayton's services, and the Los Angeles Lakers could be chief among them.
Ayton was on a four-year, $132 million contract. At that number, he wasn't a trade option for the Blazers. But as a buyout candidate, he becomes considerably more realistic for Rob Pelinka and the rest of the front office.
Ayton is, to put it bluntly, a monstrously frustrating player. The No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, he is one of the most talented big men in the league, but often makes the game so much more difficult than it needs to be for him. He averaged 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game in Portland last season.
Sometimes, he looked dominant. Other times, he looked timid. But even his shortcomings won't stop him from being the biggest center domino in NBA free agency, which starts on Monday, June 30th at 6 PM EST. Los Angeles should waste no time making an offer to Ayton, because they'll be up against plenty of other center-hungry teams.
Lakers may have just gotten a gift after Portland's Deandre Ayton buyout
The Yang Hansen era in Portland has officially begun, folks, and that is music to Rob Pelinka's ears. Earlier on Sunday, Dorian Finney-Smith declined his $15.4 million player option, opening up the entire Mid-Level Exception for the Lakers.
Ayton might be the perfect player to fill that MLE. He's not a flawless player by any means, and Lakers fans would grow frustrated with him just as Suns and Blazers fans did. But he's far and away the best option on the free agent market right now — and he would give the Lakers a playable starting option at the five, which they don't have on the roster otherwise.
Maxi Kleber and Jaxson Hayes both deserve roles on an NBA roster, but it shouldn't be "starting center on a contender" for either of them. Alongside Luka Dončić and LeBron James, Ayton could finally have the ideal role — rim-runner, lob catcher and occasional spot-up jump shooter. Occasional! Please!
Phoenix and Portland both tried to make Ayton a focal point in their offenses. Sometimes, that worked. Mostly, it didn't. In LA, he'd be the fourth offensive option in the Lakers starting lineup... and that, unironically, is a role he'd likely thrive in.
Blazers are moving on from Ayton after drafting Yang Hansen
Buying out Ayton isn't the first surprising center move from the Portland Trail Blazers this week. On Wednesday, Portland stunned the draft world by taking Yang Hansen No. 16 overall, despite being graded as a second-round prospect pretty much everywhere.
Apparently the Blazers are confident enough in Yang to slot him in as the backup center behind Donovan Clingan, because without Ayton on the roster... there aren't many other options. Portland's going young, and Ayton no longer fits the picture.
It's Yang Season in Portland, and potentially Deandre Ayton season in Los Angeles.