Deandre Ayton Reportedly Gives Up $10M in Blazers Contract Buyout Amid Lakers Rumors

Former Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton reportedly gave up $10 million of the $35.6 million he was owed in the final year of his contract as part of his buyout agreement with the Blazers, according to NBA reporter Jake Fischer.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania and Bobby Marks, that buyout agreement now means that Ayton is "free to sign with any team, including those in both salary cap aprons, despite earning greater than $14.1 million. The waiver restriction that would normally prevent a player with Ayton's contract from signing with a team in the second apron applies only during the regular season."

NBA reporter Chris Haynes noted that the Lakers are a "strong possibility" as a destination for the veteran center:

The Milwaukee Bucks are reportedly another possibility, with Brook Lopez also a free agent:

Granted, it's fair to question whether he's a great fit for either the Lakers or Bucks.

While the 26-year-old Ayton has averaged a double-double for his career (16.4 PPG, 10.5 RPG), he isn't the sort of rim-running option in the pick-and-roll that Luka Dončić prefers or the floor-stretching big man (23 percent from three for his career) that gets the most out players like LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

One reason the Lakers may be in the market for Ayton comes down to the fact that he'll probably be less expensive for them than other options, given he'll already be getting the $25 million from his buyout. That could allow the team to add other free agents to bolster the roster.

So while the Lakers may not view him as a seamless fit—they certainly shouldn't—they could seem him as a solid player who likely has something to prove, and who they could add while maintaining flexibility to add more depth. From that perspective, it's easier to see the interest despite the wonky fit with both Dončić and James.

As for the Bucks, they simply need talent, with Damian Lillard likely to miss most, or all, of the 2025-26 season due to a torn Achilles. Lopez's floor-spacing and rim-protection fit the team nicely, but Ayton's ability to score on the block could give the team another dimension offensively.

At this point, the Bucks may have to disregard some team fit at the expense of adding talent and find a way to make it work. Otherwise, Antetokounmpo could decide he has a better shot to win another title elsewhere, the doomsday scenario for the Bucks.