Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton is opting into his $8.1-million player option for the 2026-27 campaign, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania.
Ayton served as the Lakers' starting center last season, averaging career lows in points (12.5), rebounds (8.0), and free-throw percentage (64.5%) across 72 appearances.
Los Angeles surrendered 4.1 fewer points per 100 possessions when Ayton was off the floor.
But there were some positives to Ayton's campaign, as he posted the NBA's third-best true shooting percentage (67.6%) and finished eighth in offensive rebound percentage (11.5%).
The Phoenix Suns originally selected Ayton with the top selection in the 2018 draft. The Arizona product was third in Rookie of the Year voting behind Luka Doncic and Trae Young, and he went on to spend his first five seasons with the Suns, including the franchise's Finals run in 2021.
Ayton was dealt to the Portland Trail Blazers in September 2023 as part of the three-team trade that sent Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks. He played a pair of seasons with the Blazers before joining the Lakers in free agency last summer.
