{"id":764928,"date":"2026-06-28T02:46:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-28T02:46:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/764928\/"},"modified":"2026-06-28T02:46:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-28T02:46:11","slug":"lakers-deandre-ayton-situation-may-have-just-become-clearer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/764928\/","title":{"rendered":"Lakers\u2019 Deandre Ayton Situation May Have Just Become Clearer"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Los Angeles Lakers<\/a> will be incredibly busy this summer, with more than half of the team\u2019s roster either hitting NBA free agency or having the opportunity to test the open market.<\/p>\n

Veteran center Deandre Ayton<\/a> is one of the players on the squad who has a player option ($8.1 million) for the 2026-27 NBA season. It\u2019s been uncertain throughout the offseason what Ayton intends to do, but it may have just become clear.<\/p>\n

Deandre Ayton Expected ot Pick Up Player Option<\/p>\n

According to Kurt Helin of Pro Basketball Talk<\/a>, Ayton is expected to pick up his player option for next season, even though the Lakers are actively pursuing an upgrade at the center position this summer.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s no secret the Lakers are looking to upgrade at center (it should be noted Deandre Ayton is expected to pick up his player option and be back with the team). Mitchell Robinson is the kind of big man they could use, but his health concerns \u2014 particularly his chronic ankle issues \u2014 will give the Lakers and every team some pause.<\/p>\n

Despite Ayton\u2019s intention to opt into his deal for the 2026-27 campaign, the Lakers could trade him ahead of next season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Lakers\u2019 top priority right now is bringing in an A-list center at the request of superstar guard Luka Doncic<\/a>. Longtime general manager Rob Pelinka and the new-look front office are doing everything within their power to appease Doncic.<\/p>\n

Lakers Still Searching for an A-List Center\"Utah<\/p>\n

Mar 3, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) posts up against Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) during the first half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Los Angeles is so determined to find an upgrade at center that LeBron James\u2019 future<\/a> with the team has been put in doubt, as he is not the team\u2019s top priority at the moment.<\/p>\n

However, there aren\u2019t a ton of options available to the Lakers to land the kind of center upgrade that they want. There are some intriguing ones, like restricted free agents Walker Kessler<\/a> and Jalen Duren<\/a>, but it won\u2019t be easy to land either player, with the Utah Jazz and Detroit Pistons expected to match any offer sheet signed.<\/p>\n

Other options include unrestricted free agents like Mitchell Robinson<\/a>, Robert Williams III<\/a>, Nikola Vucevic, Jusuf Nurkic, Zach Collins, Nick Richards, Kevin Love<\/a> and Andre Drummond.<\/p>\n

Obviously, none of these unrestricted free agents are considered \u201cA-list\u201d centers, but there are some that could be intriguing fits in Los Angeles, namely Robinson and Williams.<\/p>\n

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