Shams Wow: Ayton signs 2 year deal with Lakers

[Lakers24]

Its a gamble might workout and it might not...Worth the risk!

[DusterBuster]

Whats funny is the Lakers think this helps them

You have to be pretty far out there to think that he doesn't.

The rebounding alone will be a big deal, never mind how he finishes as a roll/lob threat. He certainly won't prime up their defense, but their offense? That's a major shot in the arm. Ayton is fantastic when he has PnR playmakers running the show for him, and now he has two.

He's an upgrade purely on talent, but JJ and Ayton are gonna butt heads bad. JJ is a hardass like Monty Williams was, he's gonna be hard on Ayton and Atyon is gonna check tf out. The second Ayton half asses a few defensive plays (and he ABSOLUTELY will), JJ will tear into him... so we'll see how good this fit is in 2026... but don't be surprised if its messy by then.

[ArksNetsSince99]

Who’s more lazy Luka or Ayton ? I can’t figure out

[DusterBuster]

Who’s more lazy Luka or Ayton ? I can’t figure out

Ayton and it's not particularly close. But yeah, Luka and Ayton are gonna make JJ go full gray or have an aneurysm, one or the other, maybe both.

[LePeekaboo]

Well, color me shocked.

[tsherkin]

He's an upgrade purely on talent, but JJ and Ayton are gonna butt heads bad. JJ is a hardass like Monty Williams was, he's gonna be hard on Ayton and Atyon is gonna check tf out. The second Ayton half asses a few defensive plays (and he ABSOLUTELY will), JJ will tear into him... so we'll see how good this fit is in 2026... but don't be surprised if its messy by then.

Oh, there will be friction, but I think Ayton will be all right in the main because he's going to be thriving offensively. I think when he's getting his touches and looking good on O, it'll smooth over a lot.

I could be wrong, but that is, I imagine, the basic hope. Especially if they're winning instead of being a garbage squad like the Blazers of the past half-decade.

[Wallace_Wallace]

Luka+Ayton connection is going to feed families. Even with all his flaws Ayton is a massive upgrade over the crap we ran out there last season.

It will also feed families on the defensive end. The opponents families that is.

I was just about to say that

The problem with Ayton is never his offense. His whole career has been averaging 15/10 with/without CP3, so he’ll likely average those with/without Luka or LeBron. His effort on the defensive end when he’s getting challenged has been lacking except for one season (finals run). So the Lakers will be a better offensive team, but at the same time, they’ll be a worse defensive team.

[NO-KG-AI]

Why not sign for the minimum?

[LakerLegend]

Whats funny is the Lakers think this helps them

You have to be pretty far out there to think that he doesn't.

The rebounding alone will be a big deal, never mind how he finishes as a roll/lob threat. He certainly won't prime up their defense, but their offense? That's a major shot in the arm. Ayton is fantastic when he has PnR playmakers running the show for him, and now he has two.

He's an upgrade purely on talent, but JJ and Ayton are gonna butt heads bad. JJ is a hardass like Monty Williams was, he's gonna be hard on Ayton and Atyon is gonna check tf out. The second Ayton half asses a few defensive plays (and he ABSOLUTELY will), JJ will tear into him... so we'll see how good this fit is in 2026... but don't be surprised if its messy by then.

Well either that or they put a fire in his butt and he has his best season.

[ChumboChappati]

Read on Twitter

nice for Lakers only 8 mil per year

[basketballRob]

Malik Beasley for $3m is probably next

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[handsome salary]

Now Luka and LB have someone they'll beat down the floor every possession. DA will make them look like gazelles.

[ChumboChappati]

Now all of Ayton's issues will be shown to the country under the bright lights of the LA market. Terrific.

Lebron in particular will love playing with this guy.

how soon before Lebron has a meltdown on court?

[Wallace_Wallace]

Malik Beasley for $3m is probably next

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If he makes back on the court? Then maybe a contending team will give him a chance.

[Dr Aki]

Al Horford as backup C next?

[Dominator83]

It does suck for the rest of us that the Lakers always get guys either for free or pennies on the dollar, while the rest of us peasants have to pray our draft picks hit

[Dominator83]

Al Horford as backup C next?

Horford is cooked to the max

[UglyBugBall]

Not even kidding, this might go down as one of the best signings the Lakers have made in the last 10–15 years.

Ayton catches way too much hate, but people forget he’s a legit 7 footer who’s averaged a double-double basically every season since he came into the league. He’s not just tall he’s skilled. Soft touch around the rim, can hit that short midrange, strong rebounder, and when he’s locked in defensively, he can anchor a team.

People clown him for the Suns stuff, but he helped take that team to the Finals. That playoff run wasn’t a fluke, he was efficient as hell and made impact plays on both ends. Now he’s only 26 and landing on a Lakers team with actual structure, vets, and a chance to win again? This is the best possible spot for him.

He basically signed for the mid-level exception. That’s wild. You’re getting a potential all star caliber big for backup money. In today’s market, that’s insane.

Honestly, if he plays up to his potential, we’re talking best big on the Lakers since Shaq. No disrespect to Pau, Bynum, Dwight (the first time), or AD but Ayton’s ceiling as a true center, on both ends, is up there. If he stays healthy and puts together a few big years in LA, he’s absolutely in the Hall of Fame conversation down the road.

Perfect fit, great timing, and low risk/high reward. If it hits, we’ll be looking back at this as one of the smartest signings in modern Lakers history.

I'm really not trying to be mean, but all your posts are very bad.

Two seasons ago, I said the Mavs were going to the Finals after the Gafford trade, and everyone told me I was crazy. I put money on it at terrible odds, and I posted about it way before it happened. Guess who cashed. Ayton’s next. Y’all laugh now, but wait. Statue outside Crypto.com Arena in a few years.

[JJ_PR]

This move has a lot of upside, Ayton was a #1 pick for a reason. But also, there's a reason they were able to get him for cheap. High risk, high reward is the right term.

[The Master]

Fantastic deal for Lakers.

I don't like Ayton at all, but pre-extension Ayton was pretty good (still a bust, but according to all the metrics he was above average starter at that time).

Now, he'll be in a contract year, playing for another large contract, with the best playmaking duo in the league, providing rebounding and vertical spacing that Luka definitely missed in the playoffs.

He's far from covering all the issues for LAL, so I wouldn't overreact, but this is an amazing pick-up.

Just for a year, as I expect someone will give him another overpaid contract after the next season.