The Los Angeles Lakers signed Deandre Ayton for the upcoming NBA season, and Luka Doncic reportedly has a clear opinion about it.
Aiming to improve on their 2024-25 NBA season performance, the Los Angeles Lakers are looking for ways to strengthen their roster. One of the first new additions is Deandre Ayton — and Luka Doncic reportedly has a strong take on that move.
In a recent appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, NBA insider Jovan Buha shared details about Doncic’s reaction to his new teammate. “Luka, I’ve been told, was on board with Ayton coming in. He gave the stamp of approval,” the reporter said.
“I think Luka is excited,” Buha continued. “He’s excited to have a pick-and-roll partner. And Deandre Ayton, for all the discourse around him, has been statistically one of the most efficient pick-and-roll finishers, lob threats, over the last few years… certainly an upgrade over Jaxson Hayes, let’s say. This is a guy who’s been a double-double every year of his career.”
Indeed, the Lakers struggled throughout last season with the absence of a true top-tier center. While Anthony Davis was in L.A., he often had to play that role—despite it not being his preferred position. And after the trade with the Dallas Mavericks, it was usually Dorian Finney-Smith who was forced into that spot.
That roster flaw became especially evident during the playoffs. Rudy Gobert capitalized on the Lakers’ lack of interior defense and caused major problems, contributing significantly to their first-round exit at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In the same conversation, Jovan Buha gave some insight into the relationship between Doncic and Ayton. “I’ve heard they have a good rapport—like, by NBA standards, a good rapport between Luka and Deandre Ayton. They share an agent,” the reporter said.
Buha also explained that their connection dates back to their early years in the league. “They were two of the top three picks in the same draft—the 2018 draft. Ayton went first, Luka went third,” Jovan recalled. “Their families have met each other. They have a relationship.”
After his move to Los Angeles was confirmed, Deandre Ayton spoke about what it means to be teammates with Doncic. “This feels like a video game, like somebody set it up,” he said during his introductory press conference. “This is an opportunity that I won’t take for granted. Luka is a once-in-a-generation player, and I’m happy to be his teammate. Hearing about the kind of shape he’s been in, he’s super ripped, and I’m finally glad to be on his side.”
Later, in an interview with ESPN, Ayton also talked about how his new Lakers teammates have responded. “I definitely had a text from Luka,” the center said. But when it came to the rest of the team, he was candid about not having spoken to many of them yet: “Not really, yet… I know how the offseason goes. This isn’t my first rodeo. People are probably busy with training and hanging out with their families. I’m just waiting, really just trying to integrate myself with the team and get to know everybody.”
