Deandre Ayton may opt into his $8.1 million player option for next season, and that would put the Lakers in a tight spot after an up-and-down year from their starting center. If he stays on that deal, Rob Pelinka would need a trade partner before the Lakers can reshape the position.
Dave McMenamin on NBA Today
Dave McMenamin spelled out the mechanics on NBA Today: “We don’t know if Deandre Ayton is going to opt in to his deal and if he does, if the feedback is get me an A-list center and Ayton was already on the team last year, if he opts in, that means Rob Pelinka needs to find a trade partner for Ayton.”
The quote captures the bind. Ayton can take guaranteed money and stay under contract, while the Lakers are trying to move toward a different center build this offseason. Those paths point in opposite directions, and the option decision sits at the center of it.
The Lakers’ Center Priority
Last season, Ayton was the Lakers’ starting center, but the team’s offseason discussion has centered on acquiring a center of the future. Luka Dončić said the Lakers should get a center of the future before he left for Europe this summer, which puts the front office’s next move under a sharper spotlight.
That is where the problem starts. Ayton may be a valuable backup big man for a contending team, but the Lakers are treating the position as a priority, not a holding pattern. If he opts in, the roster does not simply keep its current shape; it forces a decision on whether to keep him or move him before the summer plan can advance.
Rob Pelinka’s Summer Search
The outcome leaves Pelinka with a narrow path. A trade partner would have to absorb Ayton’s deal, and the Lakers would then have to use the opening to pursue the center they want rather than settle for the one already on the roster.
For now, the next step belongs to Ayton. His decision on the $8.1 million option will determine whether the Lakers can move straight into adding a new center or first have to clear the one they already have.
