sports
Lakers Trade Deandre Ayton to Wizards for Jaden Hardy and Future Picks
The Los Angeles Lakers agreed to trade center Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards for guard Jaden Hardy and two second-round picks. The deal follows a separate Lakers sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz for center Walker Kessler.
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The Los Angeles Lakers agreed to send center Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards in exchange for guard Jaden Hardy and two future second-round picks in 2031 and 2032. The trade was reported on Friday. The move came days after the Lakers completed a sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz for center Walker Kessler.
Los Angeles received two future first-round picks and two future pick swaps from Utah in that transaction. Washington will add Ayton to a frontcourt that already includes Alex Sarr, the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NBA draft, and Anthony Davis.
Sarr underwent surgery last month to repair a fracture in his right foot. The Wizards could complete the Ayton deal using their $13.4 million Kelly Olynyk trade exception, which expires July 9. Ayton signed with the Lakers after a buyout with the Portland Trail Blazers last summer.
He started all 72 regular-season games and averaged 12.5 points and 8.0 rebounds while shooting 67.1 percent from the field. In the playoffs he averaged 11.8 points and 10.8 rebounds on 60.4 percent shooting across six first-round games against the Houston Rockets before his production fell to 7.3 points and 7.8 rebounds on 45.2 percent shooting in the second round against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Hardy, 23, averaged 12.6 points on 44.3 percent shooting, including 42 percent from three-point range, with 1.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 23 games after joining Washington last season.
He has two years and $12 million left on his contract, with a team option for the 2027-28 season. Los Angeles plans to add a backup big man in free agency and is considering Andre Drummond, Jonas Valanciunas and Kevon Looney.
