Lakers agree to trade center Ayton to Wizards for guard Hardy and picks

The Los Angeles Lakers are trading center Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards for guard Jaden Hardy and second-round picks in 2031 and 2032, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania on Friday. The Lakers completed a sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz for another center earlier in the week.

They will now look for a backup big man, with Andre Drummond, Jonas Valanciunas and Kevon Looney among those being considered.

Draft assets and team needs The two second-round picks will help the Lakers replenish draft capital after they gave up two future first-round picks and two pick swaps in the earlier deal. Washington will add Ayton to its frontcourt rotation that includes Alex Sarr, the No. 2 pick in the 2024 draft. Sarr had surgery on his right foot last month, and Ayton can provide depth while Sarr recovers.

Player backgrounds Ayton joined the Lakers after a buyout with the Portland Trail Blazers last summer. He started all 72 games he played and averaged 12.5 points and 8.0 rebounds while shooting 67.1 percent from the field. In the playoffs, Ayton averaged 11.8 points and 10.8 rebounds in six games against the Houston Rockets before posting lower numbers in a second-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Washington can acquire Ayton using its $13.4 million Kelly Olynyk trade exception, which expires July 9. If used, the exception would create a new $6 million exception for the Wizards. Hardy, 23, averaged 12.6 points in 23 games after being traded to Washington last season.

He has two years and $12 million left on his contract, with a team option for 2027-28.