Deandre Ayton opts into $8.1M Lakers deal, sources say
Deandre Ayton is opting into his $8.1 million player option for the 2026-27 season, keeping him on the Los Angeles Lakers roster for a second year, sources tell ESPN. The move guarantees Ayton's salary while giving the Lakers a tradeable contract as they pursue a center upgrade ahead of a pivotal offseason.
Key Takeaways
- Ayton is exercising his $8.1M option for 2026-27, per ESPN's Shams Charania.
- The Lakers signed him last summer on a two-year deal after his Portland buyout.
- His salary could become matching money in a trade for a new starting center.
- LeBron James and Rui Hachimura remain unsigned as free agency opens June 30.
- Ayton's opt-in may help LA preserve flexibility under the first salary apron.
Why did Deandre Ayton pick up his Lakers option?
According to ESPN, Deandre Ayton is opting into the $8.1 million player option on his Lakers contract for the 2026-27 season. The deadline for players with options was June 29, one day before NBA free agency opens on June 30.
Ayton joined the Lakers last summer after finalizing a buyout with the Portland Trail Blazers, who still owed him more than $25 million on his previous deal. He signed a two-year contract with Los Angeles that included this second-year option, returning as a starter in 2025-26.
Silver Screen and Roll noted that Ayton had an up-and-down season in LA, flashing talent some nights but lacking nightly reliability. With a thin free-agent market for his services, the guaranteed $8.1 million likely outweighed the risk of testing unrestricted free agency again.
What does Ayton's decision mean for Lakers free agency?
Bleacher Report reported that Ayton's opt-in arrives as the Lakers face major roster questions. LeBron James and Rui Hachimura are heading into the summer as unrestricted free agents, while Austin Reaves has already agreed to a four-year, $184.8 million extension.
Keeping Ayton on his player-option salary could give the Lakers more room under the first apron as they try to retain or replace key veterans. That cap breathing room matters with free agency set to reshape the roster around Luka Doncic.
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Will the Lakers trade Deandre Ayton this offseason?
Opting in does not necessarily mean Ayton finishes the season in purple and gold. Silver Screen and Roll reported that the Lakers have prioritized acquiring a new starting center, a directive tied to Doncic's push for an "A-list center" before he left for Europe this summer.
On ESPN's NBA Today, Dave McMenamin said that if Ayton opts in, president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka would need to find a trade partner for him. At roughly $8 million, Ayton's deal is considered movable matching salary that could help LA land a better fit alongside Doncic and Reaves.
Analysts widely expect the Ayton era in Los Angeles to be short-lived even after this decision. The opt-in secures his pay and gives the front office a clean asset to flip, but the Lakers' center search looks far from over.