NBA
Deandre Ayton says playing for the Lakers is ‘the biggest opportunity of my career’
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated4 hours ago on September 30, 2025
After two seasons with the Trail Blazers, Deandre Ayton parted ways with the team this offseason. They bought out his remaining contract and allowed Ayton to become an unrestricted free agent.
The Los Angeles Lakers needed a starting center, and the team took a chance on the former #1 overall pick. During the 2025 offseason, the Lakers signed Deandre Ayton to a two-year, $16.2 million deal. That money is fully guarenteed to Ayton. He has an $8.14 million player-option for the 2026-27 season. Recently, Deandre Ayton said playing for the Lakers is “the biggest opportunity of my career.”
How impactful will Deandre Ayton be for the Lakers in 2025-26?
“This is the biggest opportunity of my career,”
– Deandre Ayton on playing for the Lakers
(Via @DanWoikeSports ) pic.twitter.com/fKuUX3LWUe
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 29, 2025
To begin the 2024-25 season, Anthony Davis was the Lakers’ key piece of their frontcourt. At the trade deadline, Los Angeles made a shocking move to trade away the one-time NBA champion. This was to acquire All-NBA PG Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks. Since the team traded Davis, they’ve been looking for a player to pair with Doncic. Jaxson Hayes started at center for the Lakers when Davis was traded. However, Hayes is limited as an offensive player.
That’s why the Lakers had to scour the free agent market to find their starting center for 2025-26. Eventually, the team landed on former Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton. He played and started 40 games for Portland last season. During the 2025 offseason, Ayton had his remaining contract bought out by the Blazers. This allowed the 27-year-old to sign with the Lakers.
Deandre Ayton on why he chose the Lakers:
“Honestly, THIS is where it counts.
Understanding that every day, you’re waking up trying to win a Championship.
I’m NOT going to take this for granted.”
I don’t think anyone’s ingratiated himself better to the fanbase than DA imo. pic.twitter.com/aA8lIPEwgL
— Lakers Legacy (@LakersLegacyPod) September 29, 2025
It was a two-year, $16.2 million deal for the former #1 overall pick in 2018. With the 2025-26 season around the corner, many teams have had or are set to have their media day. That was true for the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, September 29. Speaking with Dan Woike of The Athletic, Deandre Ayton shared how playing for the Lakers is “the biggest opportunity of my career.”
The big man is heading into his eighth professional season and wants to impress the Lakers. If he is a key contributor, Ayton could receive a long-term deal. Los Angeles is looking for a lob-threat center to pair with Luka Doncic in the pick-and-roll. Deandre Ayton fits that description, but there are no guarantees. How many games will Deandre Ayton start and play for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2025-26?
