The Knicks could have paired Ayton with Karl-Anthony Towns in their frontcourt, with Mitchell Robinson serving as the club’s backup center. Instead, the team went in a different direction, and Ayton opted to join Luka Doncic and LeBron James in Los Angeles.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Deandre Ayton Had One Big Reason for Wanting to Sign With the Lakers. The Los Angeles Lakers are putting the pieces together for their run in the coming 2025-26 NBA season.

Deandre Ayton reportedly had a messy tenure that ultimately led to the Portland Trail Blazers buying out his contract, but his new squad could help put some of his past issues behind him.