sports
Lakers Trade Center Deandre Ayton to Wizards for Guard and Picks
The Los Angeles Lakers agreed to send Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards for Jaden Hardy and two second-round picks. Ayton started all 72 games he played for the Lakers last season and averaged 12.5 points and eight rebounds.
Audio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
The Los Angeles Lakers agreed Friday to trade center Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards in exchange for guard Jaden Hardy and two second-round picks, according to ESPN. Ayton, the first overall pick in the 2018 draft, started every game he played for the Lakers last season. He averaged 12.5 points, eight rebounds and one block while shooting 67.1 percent from the field.
The Lakers signed Ayton to a two-year, $16.2 million contract last summer. After acquiring another center from the Utah Jazz in a separate trade involving multiple first-round picks, the team decided to move Ayton. A coach noted that Ayton appeared frustrated at times and that his rebounding numbers dropped when he felt less involved in the offense.
The Lakers plan to seek a lower-cost backup center on the free-agent market. The team will receive Hardy, a 23-year-old guard drafted in the second round in 2022 who averaged 12.6 points in 23 games with the Wizards last season. Los Angeles also gains two future second-round draft selections.
The Wizards have not reached the playoffs since 2021.
The team has added several former top draft picks in recent moves, including Ayton. Ayton will serve as the third center on the roster. The Wizards gave up Hardy, who had limited playing time, and two second-round picks that the team viewed as expendable given its existing draft assets. The trade marks Ayton's third team in three seasons.
