Deandre Ayton should join LeBron, Luka and the Lakers after the takeover of Portland | Los Angeles Lakers

The Center Deandre Ayton agreed to join the Los Angeles Lakers as a free agent, two people told the agreement to the Associated Press on Wednesday.

People have spoken under the cover of anonymity because the agreement could not yet be announced between the Lakers and Ayton, the overall choice n ° 1 of the 2018 NBA draft – two places ahead of Luka Dončić.

The Portland Trail Blazers bought the Ayton contract last weekend, and he agreed to join Dončić and LeBron James on a year-round agreement with a player option for 2026-27. It will be paid more than $ 25 million by the Blazers while playing for the Lakers in the coming season.

The arrival of Ayton fills the need for the most blatant off -season of the Lakers. He will provide a LOB target for James and Dončić while adding the defensive size in the middle they have failed since Anthony Davis’ trade in Dallas for Dončić.

Ayton spent his first five NBA seasons with Phoenix before joining the Trail Blazers two years ago. He fought in Portland while playing for mediocre teams, but he has an average of 16.4 points and 10.5 rebounds during his seven seasons while making 59% of his shots.

The Lakers fought without Davis in painting last season, with Jaxson Hayes playing badly to be bench by coach JJ Redick in the last games. Los Angeles was eliminated from the first round of the eliminatory series by Minnesota in five games, with the great man Rudy Gobert accumulating 27 points and 24 rebounds in the victory of the Obinssence while the Lakers played largely without center.