While Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart fill big needs, the Lakers are counting on LeBron James and Luka Dončić to deliver.

2. New York Knicks New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) celebrates a 3-pointer Tuesday, May 27, 2025, during Game 4 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The Los Angeles Lakers finally landed a starting-caliber center in Deandre Ayton, who was shockingly bought out by the Portland Trail Blazers ahead of free agency.

Two of the top contenders in the Eastern Conference will face off when the Cavs match up with the Knicks. Neither team made ...

Ayton struggled at times in Portland while playing for mediocre teams, but he has averaged 16.4 points and 10.5 rebounds during his seven NBA seasons while making 59% of his shots.

I think somebody set this up,” Ayton said during his introductory press conference. “But honestly, this is an opportunity that I won’t take for granted.

The LA Lakers haven't been overly active this offseason. They made the rounds earlier for signing Deandre Ayton and Jake ...

So it stands to reason that Ayton was — in theory — available from Day 1 of free agency, and the Lakers knew they had a chance to land him when Lopez and Capela came off the board. The center ...