In Los Angeles, Ayton will slide into the starting center slot, provide an anchor and partner with fellow 2018 top pick Luka Doncic with the Lakers. Ayton and Doncic went Nos. 1 and 3, respectively, in the 2018 draft, developing a relationship from that class.

The Lakers lost a key role player when forward Dorian Finney-Smith agreed to a deal with the Houston Rockets, but they quickly moved onward by agreeing to a deal with forward Jake LaRavia when NBA free agency opened Monday afternoon.