Luka Doncic, Deandre Ayton ‘Were Motivated’ To Team Up On Lakers

Luka Doncic and Deandre Ayton “were motivated” to team up on the Los Angeles Lakers, according to NBA insider Marc Stein of The Stein Line. 

Ayton signed a two-year contract with the Lakers after getting bought out by the Portland Trail Blazers. 

Doncic and Ayton have the same agent, Bill Duffy. Ayton was the first pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, while Doncic was the third pick. 

“Ayton and Doncic have been pals since they were selected No. 1 overall and No. 3, respectively, in the 2018 NBA Draft,” Stein wrote. “The prospect of the pair becoming teammates first materialized five years later when the Mavericks entered into advanced trade talks with Phoenix to acquire Ayton in conjunction with the 2023 NBA Draft. Yet those talks ultimately collapsed.

“Only now, two years on, will Ayton and Doncic officially become teammates later Sunday. The Bahamian big man asked the Trail Blazers to buy out the final season of his contract and he committed Wednesday to teaming up with the Slovenian star after clearing waivers. The players share an agent — WME Sports’ head of basketball Bill Duffy — and were motivated to team up given the Lakers’ well-chronicled need for a front-line center.”

The Lakers were the third seed in the Western Conference last season, but they lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs. Los Angeles head coach JJ Redick played without a center in the second half of Game 4 and all of Game 5 because Jaxson Hayes was struggling against Minnesota big men Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle and Naz Reid. 

Ayton, who turns 27 on July 23, averaged 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.0 blocks for the Trail Blazers last season while shooting 56.6% from the field and 66.7% from the free-throw line.

An Arizona product, Ayton has career averages of 16.4 points, 10.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 398 NBA games with the Phoenix Suns and Trail Blazers. 

Doncic played for the Dallas Mavericks and Lakers last season. He averaged 28.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 7.7 assists while shooting 45.0% overall, 36.8% from beyond the arc and 78.2% from the free-throw line. 

A five-time All-Star, Doncic has career averages of 28.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 8.2 assists in 450 NBA games with the Mavericks and Lakers.