On Monday night, the NBA free agency got off to a quick start but slowed down later on. Yet there are still players left who could help a team win a championship, and one such name was Deandre Ayton, who became a free agent earlier this week. The player officially cleared waivers on Wednesday, and so, it was reported that it would come down to either the Lakers or the Pacers. It seems he has now made his decision!

The Lakers signed the former No. 1 for their frontcourt needs. This is a massive signing as the team addresses its center position and as they try to build a roster around LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves. Interestingly, Doncic and Ayton are both represented by Bill Duffy, the longtime agent who heads WME Basketball. No wonder he was excited about the opportunity to play with Ayton, league sources say.

The team was also said to be interested in Brook Lopez, who agreed to a two-year deal with the LA Clippers on Monday. He looked like the most logical solution to the Lakers’ center issue, but at age 37, while still the best inside-outside centers in the NBA, he doesn’t play the pick-and-roll, lob-threat style that Doncic excels in. Instead, Ayton, who will soon turn 27, will have plenty to prove. And so reporter Shams Charania took to X and wrote:

“BREAKING: Deandre Ayton has agreed to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell ESPN. Between Portland and L.A., Ayton will earn $34 million next season. Agents Nima Namakian of Innovate Sports and Bill Duffy of WME Sports reached the deal with Lakers president Rob Pelinka.”

In a follow-up tweet, he further mentioned, “The Lakers find their starting center in Ayton, the 2018 No. 1 overall pick who is the only player in NBA history to average 15+ points and 60%+ shooting in the postseason. He has career averages of 16.4 points and 10.5 rebounds on 59% shooting over the last seven seasons.”

The Los Angeles Lakers struggled last season without Anthony Davis, and Jaxson Hayes ended up getting benched by JJ Redick in the final games due to his poor performance. They ended up getting eliminated from the first round of the playoffs by Minnesota in five games as they played without a center. So, Ayton seems like the solution to their problem. While questions around his consistency and locker room presence continue to follow him, the potential remains considerable. Placed alongside a playmaker like Luka

Doncic, who can create easy opportunities around the rim and potentially even LeBron James, assuming he remains with the team, Ayton’s ceiling could be significantly higher.

However, that last part may already be off the table. According to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7, LeBron James “wants out of L.A”—and the feelings are mutual. The Lakers “want him gone.” While James exercised his player option for the 2025–26 season, his no-trade clause still gives him full control over where and if he moves. In fact, his agent Rich Paul stated, “LeBron knows the Lakers are building for the future, and he also wants to compete for championships. We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. We do want to evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career.”

That’s what makes this shift feel seismic. Add to that Brian Windhorst’s reporting: The Lakers are now prioritizing building around Luka Doncic.

What does this mean for the Lakers’ future?

What Ayton does is buy the Lakers time. Time to breathe. Time to figure out the LeBron James mess without sacrificing their biggest weakness: the paint. The former Suns and Blazers big man isn’t just a body; He’s a 7-footer with touch, footwork, and postseason production. And if he finally locks in mentally, the Lakers might have pulled off the steal of the summer.

But all that depends on chemistry; on Ayton buying into this system; on Doncic and Ayton syncing like they’ve been running pick-and-rolls for years; on the drama with James not turning this whole thing into a distraction because whether he stays or goes, that spotlight isn’t dimming. Every game next season is going to be under a microscope.

Don’t forget the competition either. The Lakers weren’t the only ones calling Ayton. Milwaukee needed a Lopez replacement. The Pacers made noise. But Ayton chose L.A., and that means something. It means there’s still allure here. There’s still a belief that this team can win. So now it’s all about follow-through. Lock up Reaves. Find more shooters. Manage the cap. And for the love of purple and gold, figure out what’s going on with James. Because Ayton is here. Doncic is here. The foundation is solid. But the storm hasn’t passed yet. Not even close.