“We need to find a starting center, someone that can serve as a lob threat for Luka Doncic.” That was Rob Pelinka’s mission statement at the end of the 2024-25 season. And after a quiet and frustrating start to free agency that saw the Los Angeles Lakers miss out on their top targets, he finally got his man. On Wednesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania dropped the bombshell: “Free agency center DeAndre Ayton has reached agreement on a two-year deal to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers.” The deal is worth $16.6 million over two years and includes a player option for 2026. But the story doesn’t end there.

For weeks, the narrative around the Lakers was one of uncertainty, largely driven by cryptic comments from LeBron James’s agent, Rich Paul, which suggested LeBron might be questioning the franchise’s direction. The Ayton signing, however, is a clear “win-now” move. One that is designed not just to steady the ship, but to raise the ceiling. While LeBron’s satisfaction may have been the initial goal, attention quickly shifted to their other superstar. How does Luka Dončić feel about his new frontcourt partner?

According to league sources, Doncic is excited about teaming up with Ayton. It’s a pairing five years in the making. Back in 2018, Ayton was drafted first overall, with Luka going third, and now they’re teammates in Los Angeles! The duo’s connection goes beyond just draft class history. Both Ayton and Doncic are represented by longtime agent Bill Duffy.

That shared representation reportedly helped tip the scales in L.A.’s favor, especially considering Ayton was being courted by a long list of suitors—including the Knicks, Clippers, Bucks, Pacers, Cavs, and Nuggets. As Shams Charania reported: “Multiple teams also reached out to Portland Trail Blazers General Manager Joe Cronin after the buyout of Ayton on Sunday. And I’m told they all got rave reviews of him as a teammate.”

Rob Pelinka had already begun working the phones soon after the season ended; however, things really set into motion once Brook Lopez signed with the Clippers and Myles Turner was snapped up by Milwaukee. Pelinka wasted no time pivoting. Within hours of Ayton’s buyout from Portland, he reached out to the big man’s agents. Just 48 hours into free agency, the deal was sealed. As Shams noted: “Two days into free agency, Rob Pelinka, DeAndre Ayton’s agents, reached an agreement on a two-year deal with a player option for the big man to be in L.A.”

On paper, Ayton is everything the Lakers needed. He’s averaged 16.4 points and 10.5 rebounds per game across his career. But this move wasn’t just about numbers. L.A. needed a true lob threat—one who has the ability to finish plays, run in transition, and defend in space. With Anthony Davis traded to Dallas, that gap in their lineup was glaring. Ayton fills that void. And at 26 years old, he’s still firmly in his prime, with plenty of gas left in the tank. And for Rob Pelinka, who was under immense pressure to make a move, the signing is a major victory. But as is always the case with DeAndre Ayton, it’s not that simple. But while the basketball world was focused on the Luka-Ayton dynamic, another, more bizarre storyline emerged.

DeAndre Ayton continues a bizarre LeBron James trend

DeAndre Ayton is now the ninth former No. 1 overall pick to team up with LeBron James, the most in NBA history. It’s a staggering statistic that speaks to LeBron’s incredible longevity and the constant, franchise-altering pressure he puts on his front offices to surround him with elite talent. The list is a who’s who of NBA greats: Joe Smith, Shaquille O’Neal, Greg Oden, Andrew Bogut, Kyrie Irving, Derrick Rose, Dwight Howard, Anthony Davis, and now, DeAndre Ayton.

But while the Ayton signing was a clear move to appease LeBron, the Lakers’ first call in free agency was actually a subtle nod to their other young star, Austin Reaves. According to Dan Woike, the first player the Lakers called was Jake LaRavia, a wing who also happens to be represented by Reaves’s agent. The move was seen as an “olive branch,” a signal to Reaves’s camp that the Lakers want to keep him in the fold long-term. It’s a fascinating look at the two timelines the Lakers are trying to manage: keeping LeBron happy in the present while trying to secure their future with Luka and Reaves.

The problem, of course, is Ayton’s well-documented history. His time in Portland ended with a messy buyout amidst reports of “bad ways,” including tardiness and a lack of effort. He was benched by Monty Williams during a crucial playoff game in Phoenix. The red flags are impossible to ignore. And yet, the Lakers’ new head coach, JJ Redick, is on the record as being a huge fan of his game. “Ayton’s fantastic,” Redick said back in 2022. “He’s fantastic at punishing mismatches.”

That’s the gamble Rob Pelinka is making. He’s betting that a new environment, a chance to play for a championship alongside LeBron and Luka, and a coach who believes in him will be enough to finally unlock the potential that made Ayton the No. 1 pick in the first place. It’s a high-risk, high-reward move that could either deliver a championship or blow up in their faces. For a team in win-now mode, it’s a risk they clearly felt they had to take.