The Los Angeles Lakers have traded center Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards in exchange for guard Jaden Hardy and two second-round draft picks.
What happened?
The trade was reported by ESPN on Friday, with the picks being in 2031 and 2032. Ayton, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, averaged 12.5 points and 8.0 rebounds in 72 games (all starts) in his lone season with the Lakers in 2025-26.
Why it matters for Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers are looking to rebuild their roster after a disappointing season, and the trade of Ayton is a significant move. The team has also been linked to several other players, including LeBron James, who is weighing his options as a free agent.
What comes next?
The Lakers will look to use the draft picks to build for the future, while also trying to sign key players to fill out their roster. The team's recent form has been poor, with a record of 0W-0D-5L in their last 5 games, including a 110-115 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on 2026-05-12.
| Date | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-12 | Oklahoma City Thunder | 110-115 |
The Lakers will hope to turn their season around with the new additions to their roster. Jaden Hardy, who turns 24 on Sunday, has averaged 8.4 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 235 games (19 starts) with the Mavericks (2022-26) and Wizards.
Latest NBA news
The NBA free agency period has been busy, with several big names changing teams. Jaylen Brown was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday, while Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, Ja Morant and Walker Kessler have also switched teams. The Los Angeles Lakers will look to make some big moves to compete with these teams.
The Lakers' fans will be keeping a close eye on the team's moves, as they look to build a competitive roster. With the trade of Deandre Ayton, the team has taken a significant step towards rebuilding. The future looks bright for the Los Angeles Lakers, and fans will be excited to see what the new season brings.
As the NBA free agency period continues, the Los Angeles Lakers will look to make some big moves to compete with the top teams. The team's recent form has been poor, but with the new additions to their roster, they will hope to turn their season around. The Lakers will look to use the draft picks to build for the future, while also trying to sign key players to fill out their roster.
The Los Angeles Lakers have a lot of work to do to compete with the top teams in the NBA. But with the trade of Deandre Ayton, the team has taken a significant step towards rebuilding. The future looks bright for the Los Angeles Lakers, and fans will be excited to see what the new season brings.
Last result: Los Angeles Lakers 110-115 Oklahoma City Thunder (2026-05-12). Recent form (last 5): 0W-0D-5L (LLLLL, most recent first); lost the last 5.
