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The Lakers are under a full-on roster reconstruction.

And their latest move on Friday, trading Deandre Ayton to the Wizards for Jaden Hardy and two of Washington’s second-round picks (2031 and 2032), made clear another area they need to address while making it easier for them to reconfigure the roster. 

Ayton joined LeBron James (next team to be determined), Marcus Smart (Rockets), Luke Kennard (Suns) and Jaxson Hayes (Jazz) as players from the Lakers’ 2025-26 squad who’ll be on another team next season.

Add in Rui Hachimura, who remains an unrestricted free agent and has multiple teams expressing interest in signing the 6-foot-8 forward, and there’s a strong likelihood the Lakers won’t return any of the players who started for them (Smart, Kennard, James, Hachimura and Ayton) in the first five games of their first-round playoffs series victory over the Rockets. 

The players the Lakers are adding: Walker Kessler (four years, $130 million), Quentin Grimes (four years, $60 million), Sandro Mamukelashvili (four years, $52 million), Collin Sexton (two years, $19 million) and Hardy (two years, $12 million). 

That’s in addition to re-signing Austin Reaves (four years, $185 million) and selecting Cameron Carr with the No. 24 pick of the draft and signing him to his rookie scale contract (four years, $16.8 million) on Thursday. 

And with two roster spots, four tradeable draft picks and a little bit more financial flexibility at their disposal, the Lakers’ focus is on addressing the glaring holes on the roster.

What are the needs?

A backup big man behind Kessler and a defensive-minded wing/forward who, ideally, can start alongside Kessler, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and possibly Grimes. 

As currently constructed, the Lakers are very guard/backcourt-heavy with Doncic, Reaves, Grimes, Sexton, Hardy, Carr and Bronny James, though Doncic, Grimes and Carr can play wing/forward positions.

Doncic, Mamukelashvili, Dalton Knecht, Jake LaRavia, Adou Thiero and Jarred Vanderbilt are the lone players on the current roster listed between 6-foot-6 and 6-foot-9. 

Kessler, who’s 7-foot-2, is the lone player listed at 6-foot-10 or taller.

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Who are the targets?

Ironically, Ayton is better than the backup big man options currently available to the Lakers. 

Veteran center Kevon Looney is an unrestricted free agents who the Lakers will consider signing.

Nick Richards, a 28-year-old big man entering his seventh season in the NBA, is also an unrestricted free agent. 

The Lakers are also expected to consider Nuggets center Jonas Valanciunas, who’s entering the final season of his three-year, $30.3 million contract that pays him $10 million in 2026-27.

Among these options, Looney is the center the Lakers must prioritize because of his proven abilities to contribute to winning teams and durability. 

Los Angeles had significant interest in Andre Drummond as their backup center, but he signed a one-year, $3.9 million deal to join the reigning NBA champion Knicks.

On the wings, the Lakers are still exploring adding Jonathan Kuminga to their roster. Kuminga is drawing interest from other teams, but the unrestricted free agent forward is a significant priority for the Lakers. 

Hachimura returning to the Lakers is still a possibility, but would be challenging since the Lakers don’t have much cap space left and had to relinquish Hachimura’s cap hold to make their other additions. He can likely join another team for a significantly higher salary. 

Former Nets forward Ziaire Williams has been linked to the Lakers. Ochai Agbaji is another option on the wings who looms for them. 

Other moves?

The Lakers are projected to have three tradeable second-round picks (Wizards two picks and their own 2033 pick) and a 2032 first-round pick swap they can include in a trade.

Expect for them to explore seeing if they can attach picks to one of their own players (such as Knecht and Vanderbilt) to free up financial flexibility and a roster spot. 

They could also use those picks to acquire a player ready to contribute now. 

And once LeBron makes his decision on his next destination, whether the Lakers will keep Bronny on the roster or trade him to LeBron’s next team will be the next domino to fall.

As we sat here a little more than a year ago, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal were still on the roster, but the Suns had just finished 11th in the Western Conference and missed the playoffs entirely. We all knew something had to change. The philosophy needed to change. The culture needed to change. The direction of the franchise needed to change.

Mat Ishbia gave us exactly that.

He moved on from James Jones and Mike Budenholzer, replacing them with Brian Gregory and Jordan Ott. What followed was an offseason filled with corporate buzzwords we could only hope would eventually turn into action. Thankfully, they did.

The 2025-26 Phoenix Suns will be remembered as one of the most enjoyable teams this fan base has watched in years. It wasn’t because they won a championship or dominated the league. It was the style in which they played, the tenacity with which they executed the game plan, and their ability to exceed expectations. 

Yes, they stumbled at the finish line. But they also gave us confidence in the direction the franchise was headed. After all, Suns owner Mat Ishbia told us he wanted this organization to resemble the Pittsburgh Steelers, a franchise built around players who compete a certain way and make you proud to watch them wear the uniform.

“You can talk about the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Ishbia said last summer. “You kind of know what they mean when you talk about the Pittsburgh Steelers. Or even my old team, Michigan State basketball. You kind of know what you’re going to get when you talk about Michigan State basketball. What is Phoenix Suns basketball? That’s on me. That’s a change that’s coming, and it will be undeniable.” 

For the first time in a long time, it felt like the Suns were beginning to look the part.

The acquisition of Miles Bridges, only a year later, runs counter to much of that philosophy, at least from a reputational standpoint. Bridges carries the baggage of his domestic violence case, and when we talk about the culture we want the Phoenix Suns to build, and the reasons we want to feel proud of this team, bringing in a player with that kind of history naturally conflicts with the message the organization spent the previous year promoting.

Recent polling reflects that tension. 62% percent of Suns fans approved of the Miles Bridges acquisition. That’s a solid number. But it also means 38% disapproved for one reason or another, and it’s fair to assume the primary reason is the player’s character concerns.

If we’re talking strictly about basketball, Bridges aligns with what the Suns are trying to become. Arizona Sports Suns insider John Gambadoro recently shared an observation from one of his coaching sources:

“One of my favorite players. Loves to play, works hard, epitome of a Four. Can throw a lob to him. He can hit a three, can guard. Plays bigger than he is. Has a love for the game that not all have – if the season was ever cancelled he would be the first one at the Y looking for a pickup game. He was a great teammate and was very coachable. He needed to get out of Charlotte so Phoenix will be great for him. He may explode in Phoenix so don’t be surprised to see the best version of him”

That sounds like a player who, on the court, aligns with what the Suns established over the past season. Is it enough to move the FanDuel odds? Time will tell. But it’s enough to give you hope that he’ll fit within the ecosystem Phoenix has spent the past year creating. 

The Suns needed a starting-caliber power forward, and they went out and acquired one. For many fans, the issue isn’t the position. It’s the person playing it. And that’s completely understandable. It’s something many people will wrestle with throughout this season and, if an extension is signed as expected, potentially for years to come. I can’t tell you how to feel about that. I can only tell you how I view the basketball side of it.

From a basketball standpoint, I think Miles Bridges is an ideal fit given the market and what Phoenix was trying to accomplish. Is he a great defender? No. But neither was Royce O’Neale, who started 67 games for the Suns last season.  Is he a great three-point shooter? No. But he’s capable enough. He shot 33.3% from deep with Charlotte last season, and what he brings in other areas helps offset that. But there is no doubt that he is an upgrade to what Royce O’Neale gave us.

He puts pressure on the rim. He can average close to 20 points per game. He can absorb many of the offensive possessions Dillon Brooks was forced into last season, doing so with more confidence while still providing enough spacing to allow Brooks to settle into a more natural offensive role. Hopefully, that means fewer of those Kobe Bryant turnaround fadeaways that made everyone hold their breath.

There will be plenty of analysis this summer as we try to understand what this team can become. We’ll continue to discuss the basketball fit. We’ll continue to acknowledge the moral dilemma. I suppose this is what they call the Miles Bridges experience.

The Lakers just got rid of a large problem. 

It was 7-feet tall. It weighed 250 pounds. And it was a glaring distraction in the locker room. 

So long, Deandre Ayton, whom the Lakers sent to the Wizards on Friday in exchange for Jaden Hardy and two future second-round picks in 2031 and 2032. 

Ayton came to the Lakers in free agency hoping to resuscitate his career after stints in Phoenix and Portland had left his reputation in tatters. 

The big man was the prize of the 2018 draft. He was selected by Phoenix as the No. 1 overall pick ahead of Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. But instead of reaching his potential in his first seven seasons in the league, Ayton backslid into unanimously being labeled inconsistent and immature by the two franchises for which he played, all but putting a scarlet letter on his forehead. 

When Ayton signed with the Lakers in free agency last summer, he had a golden opportunity to start over. 
No one in the NBA gets more attention than the 17-time NBA champions, especially when a guy named LeBron James is on the roster. 

This was his chance to rewrite his narrative. 

Careers are defined by the Lakers. One great stint in Los Angeles can wash away all of the dirt of the past. Look at how Marcus Smart redefined himself this season after his career was in a freefall. Look at how Luke Kennard’s stock skyrocketed after a great first-round playoff series with the purple and gold. 

Ayton was well aware of the power of the Lakers. 

“I feel like I’ve just been absent for a little bit in this league,” Ayton said during his introductory press conference with the Lakers last July. “…I want to really just show the world and prove to everybody that I am a winner.”

The problem?

The same issues reared their ugly head in Los Angeles as the ones that inspired Phoenix to trade him in 2023 and Portland to buy out his contract for nothing in return last summer.

Ayton is talented. 

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But his effort flickers like the light of a candle.

He’s prickly with the media. He has outbursts in the locker room. He’s wildly unpredictable. Sometimes he’ll lightheartedly do somersaults around reporters. Sometimes he’ll snap at them. 

At first, Ayton struggled to embrace his role with the Lakers. He wanted to be a star but the team needed him to star in his role. There was a palpable power struggle.

He responded to the tension in the worst way possible. 

He’d often disengage on the court. 

Ironically, never was that more clear than after he shined in a 21-point, 13-rebound performance against the Magic on Feb. 24. As Ayton walked toward the shower after talking to the media, he let it be known that he felt pigeonholed. 

“They’re trying to make me Clint Capela,” he said, referring to the Houston Rockets’ backup center. “I’m not no Clint Capela.” 

Instead of celebrating the moment, he got in his own way. Instead of proving himself, he shot himself in the foot. 

The problem with Ayton is sometimes he plays with force. Other times, he goes through the motions. The difference is stark. It’s obvious to the naked eye. To both high-paid scouts and fans alike.

While a shooter’s slumps can be forgiven, Ayton’s issues were correlated to effort. To something he could control. To something that was inexcusable to let ebb and flow when he was getting paid millions of dollars and representing the Lakers.

Effort is the bare minimum. It’s a requisite. It’s a non-negotiable. 

Ayton let it come and go like a feral cat. 

He locked in during the Lakers’ 16-2 run last spring. During that period, he was consistent. He was a difference-maker.  

“Felt like I picked up my energy and my focus,” Ayton said March 12. “And, you know, I finally caught up with the team. That’s about it.”

But the playoffs were his ultimate test. 

And he failed. 

The Lakers desperately needed Ayton to be at his best, especially considering Luke Doncic was sidelined the entire postseason because of a hamstring injury and Austin Reaves missed the first four games of the Lakers’ first-round series against the Rockets because of a strained oblique. 

But Ayton was inconsistent. 

At times he shined, like when he had a 19-point and 10-rebound performance against the Rockets in Game 4 followed by an 18-point and 17-rebound performance in Game 5. 

But when the Lakers needed him the most, he had a disappearing act. 

Against the Thunder and their monstrous frontcourt, he shriveled. 

Ayton averaged just 7.2 points and 7.7 rebounds as the Lakers were swept out of the playoffs. His defense was lackluster. He was a liability on the court. 

For the Lakers, enough was enough. 

It was time for Ayton to go. 

He had his chance to turn things around. He had the opportunity to rehabilitate his name. All he had to do was try. All he had to do was pour out his heart onto the court when they needed him most. All his other antics could be forgiven. 

But instead of digging his heels into the ground, he collapsed onto his knees. 

Now he has been shipped to Washington, the equivalent of basketball Siberia considering the franchise has missed the playoffs seven of the last eight seasons. 

And all he has to blame is himself. 

Ayton had his chance. 

And he blew it. 

Yaxel Lendeborg shows out in perfect Warriors summer league debut vs. Lakers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – As Warriors fans await LeBron James’ latest NBA free agency decision, they didn’t need to wait long at all to see their 2026 first-round draft pick, Yaxel Lendeborg, make his team debut. 

Before Lendeborg’s first game in a Warriors jersey at Chase Center, he already had the home crowd on its feet giving some loud cheers from high-flying dunks in warm-ups. What he did once the game started brought even more cheers in a 104-72 blowout win against the Los Angeles Lakers.

The first look at Lendeborg with the Warriors was, well, perfect.

Lendeborg played 22 minutes and scored a game-high 19 points on a perfect 6-of-6 shooting while going 4 of 4 from deep. Along with his scoring, Lendeborg led the Warriors in rebounds (five) and assists (six), plus he blocked a shot and had one steal.  

“I would say probably like a B,” Lendeborg said when assessing his debut. “I messed up a lot of defensive rotations. That’s kind of taken a while for me to get the rotations down. I played a fairly well game until the fourth quarter. Kind of went a little sloppy with four turnovers. But overall offensively, I think I was in the right spot moving the ball well and just finding out where to be.”

Coach Khalid Robinson started Lendeborg alongside guards LJ Cryer and Will Richard, forward Malevy Leons and center Graham Ike. Cryer, Richard and Leons all played for the Warriors last season, and Ike was signed to an Exhibit 10 contract after going undrafted out of Gonzaga last month. Yet it was Lendeborg who looked like a seasoned veteran. 

The No. 11 pick lit it up from the jump. Lendeborg played eight minutes in the first quarter and scored 11 points. He made all three of his 3-point attempts and also added two assists, one rebound and one steal. 

His first shot attempt was a transition three from the left wing that Lendeborg splashed without any hesitation. He then hit a three from the top of the arc and another from the left wing. Lendeborg had a 37.2 3-point percentage as a senior at Michigan and looked like he’s already comfortable from NBA 3-point range. 

Once the second quarter began, Leneborg’s hot shooting only continued, showing he can let it fly off the dribble as well. 

The Warriors led 57-33 at halftime, and Lendeborg was a major reason why. Lendeborg played 14 minutes in the first half and scored 16 points. He also had three assists, four rebounds and one steal. 

Lendeborg improved as a 3-point shooter every year in college and expanded on how he believes that part of his game will translate to the next level.

“This has been all about confidence,” Lendeborg said. “Honestly, I never really had the confidence to shoot it until last year at Michigan. And now here, I feel a lot more confident shooting the ball here. I definitely think that I could probably be in the 37-plus range for threes if I keep shooting with confidence. Hopefully the NBA season doesn’t drain my confidence. 

“Just trying to stay consistent and see how much they fall.”

After a shortened halftime, the good times kept rolling for Lendeborg to begin the second half, as he immediately powered his way through contact for a three-point play. 

“I thought Yaxel played with a really high level of force and physicality,” Robinson said. “That was a point of emphasis for us all week, just force and physicality in everything that we do. Then, he showed a little bit of everything in his game.”

Lendeborg only played seven and a half minutes in the second half. Anything he needed to prove was already done. The rest was just an added bonus for fans to enjoy. 

Checking multiple boxes with an array of skills is what drew the Warriors to Lendeborg in the draft. Being ready to make an impact as a rookie from Day 1 was a major selling point in landing on him. If first impressions are everything, Lendeborg proved the Warriors made the right decision. 

Looks like Rich Paul might need to add another name on his whiteboard next to Steph Curry and Draymond Green. Lendeborg is made for the big show. 

“He’s definitely ready,” Richard said.

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By now, basketball fans know that LeBron James has informed the Los Angeles Lakers that he will not be re-signing with them in free agency this offseason, and will instead find a new team to end his legendary NBA career with.

One reason why this is so fascinating is because James’ entire family has roots in Los Angeles at his point, as he has been playing for the Lakers for the past eight seasons. Of course, his son, Bronny, is also on Los Angeles’ roster, and LeBron still lives with his wife Savannah and his daughter Zhuri.

The only member of LeBron’s immediate family who doesn’t still live in Los Angeles for most of the year is his younger son, Bryce. And this is because Bryce is playing basketball at the University of Arizona.

Bryce isn’t overly active on social media, as he hasn’t made an Instagram post since February of this year. However, he does comment on his girlfriend, Sadie Johnson’s, Instagram posts.

This was shown by a post that Johnson made on June 30, where she posed for several photos while sitting outside of a restaurant and seemingly holding some beverage that included matcha and perhaps pomegranate seeds.

The post was captioned, “just because”. And the top comment on it is from Bryce, who simply wrote, “”.

It’s pretty funny to think that Bryce’s first public post after his dad’s decision to not re-sign with the Lakers was a drooling emoji on his girlfriend’s Instagram post. Then again, the James family has surely had plenty of conversations about what LeBron will do before he made his decision known, so it’s not like Bryce was surprised.

Not to mention that he’s still just 19 years old. He’s allowed a drooling emoji or two.

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The Knicks are signing a local product and familiar name as their backup center veteran. 

Andre Drummond, who is from Mount Vernon and had been linked to the Knicks in previous years, agreed to a one-year, veteran minimum ($3.9 million) deal with New York, league sources confirmed. 

The 32-year-old offers size, strong rebounding and a glut of experience but is well past his prime, having served as a backup for most of the last four seasons. Drummond’s career drop off from his All-Star peak is likely why the Knicks were able to secure the 6-foot-11 piece at such a small salary, a necessity for them to stay under the second apron. 

Drummond played the last two years for the rival Sixers as Joel Embiid’s backup, averaging 6.3 points and 8.4 rebounds last season in 19.5 minutes. He’s a downgrade from Mitchell Robinson — who left in free agency for Boston — but a strong body to eat up minutes for Karl-Anthony Towns. 

His greatest asset remains rebounding. Drummond was second to Robinson last season in boards per 36 minutes with 15.6. He led the league in rebounding four times and, unlike Robinson, cured his free-throw shooting problems — Drummond went from 37% from the charity stripe as a rookie to a career-best 63% last season. 

Hack-A-Drummond no longer works. Drummond is also more durable than Robinson and shockingly developed a 3-pointer last season in Philly, knocking down a career-best (by far) 32 treys. Still, his weaknesses are shooting and conditioning. He was again forced to take a minimum deal after expressing a desire to avoid it. 

“I’m not willing to play less than my worth,” Drummond said about free agency in a since-deleted interview posted on Youtube. “I did that once and then I got labeled as one of those guys, and I think it really killed my value in the NBA because I’m still moving like I’m in my mid-20s. I still have a lot left in the tank. I think by taking that pay cut … I feel like I’ve been climbing out of a hole for the last 4-5 years. It’s been hard.” 

Drummond’s climb continues on an expiring minimum deal but the Knicks can offer a pathway to a bigger payday — a rotation spot and a legitimate chance at a championship. 

The Knicks still have two roster spots to fill and roughly $6.5 million remaining under the second apron. Jonas Valanciunas, another veteran center, is a target to further bolster the frontcourt depth, according to The Athletic. 

Jordan Clarkson, a guard, is also a candidate to return, sources said. 

The biggest free agent remaining — LeBron James — is “very, very unlikely” to sign with the Knicks, even if he were willing to accept a minimum deal, sources said. Among the reasons from both sides, as outlined by LeBron’s agent Rich Paul, is the Knicks are coming off a title and, “The last thing you want to do is mess up something like that. The Knicks have a good thing.” 

The Knicks had previously discussed signing center Marvin Bagley III, but the former second overall pick instead joined the Nuggets.