Deandre Ayton Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Lakers Notes: Reaves, Ayton, Doncic, Vincent

October 27th, 2025 at 8:04am CST by Arthur Hill

With Luka Doncic sidelined for about a week due to a finger sprain and a leg contusion and LeBron James still recovering from sciatica, Austin Reaves turned in a star performance in Sunday’s win over Sacramento, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Reaves carried the scoring load with a career-high 51 points while adding 11 rebounds and nine assists.

“Especially on a night where you don’t have Luka, you don’t have Bron, you don’t have Jaxson (Hayes), you got to go out there and be big for the team,” Reaves said. “I wasn’t in my head thinking, ‘You got to go score 50.’ It was, ‘Do whatever you can do to help the team win.'”

Teammate Jarred Vanderbilt told Reaves on the team bus that the Lakers would need 50 points from him, and the fifth-year guard delivered, becoming the 12th player in franchise history to reach that mark. McMenamin points out that Reaves tallied 45 and 37 points in the two games he played without Doncic and James last season, so he has a history of producing big scoring nights as the number one option.

“I do think for this group it’s important to know that you can win a basketball game without those two guys,” coach JJ Redick said.

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Center Deandre Ayton had his best game since coming to L.A., posting 22 points and 15 rebounds in 36 minutes, McMenamin adds. The free agent addition has fit smoothly into the offense, averaging 15.7 PPG while shooting 62.9% from the field. “This team is, no matter who’s on the floor, we’re going to come out and play hard as hell,” Ayton said.
Doncic and Reaves worked with Ayton in practice this week to develop better pick-and-roll chemistry, according to Khobi Price of The Orange County Register (subscription required). Ayton admits he’s a “confusing big” because he plays a variety of ways as a roll man.
Veteran guard Gabe Vincent left the game after turning his ankle early in the second half. He wore a walking boot as he left the arena, but he told McMenamin that X-rays were negative.

Lakers Notes: Doncic, Smart, Lineup, Hayes, James

October 25th, 2025 at 8:15am CST by Dana Gauruder

Luka Doncic is already hearing MVP chants from the home fans, and with good reason. The Lakers star guard has racked up 92 points in the team’s first two games — the most by a player in consecutive games to begin a season in team history, Dan Woike of The Athletic notes. Doncic scored 49 points in 35 minutes in a win over the Timberwolves on Friday.

“He, of course, dominates the whole game so easily,” forward Rui Hachimura told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “And it’s not some random team we played against. They’re a Western Conference Finals team. So this is crazy.”

Minnesota knocked the Lakers out of the playoffs last season but Doncic didn’t have revenge on his mind.

“I just want to forget about last season,” he said. “I was trying to move on. I don’t really think about that first-round series.”

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Marcus Smart signed a two-year contract in July after being bought out by the Wizards. He showed his worth on Friday with his defense and energy, Thuc Nhi Nguyen of the Los Angeles Times writes. Smart had just three points and zero rebounds in 21 minutes, but the Lakers outscored Minnesota by 24 points during his time on the floor. “Unfortunately my stats aren’t going to do me any justice, so I try not to worry about it,” Smart said. “I just try to go out there, and like I said, do what I’m supposed to do, and help my teammates out the best way I can. Being plus-24 is great and everything and it definitely shows the impact that can be made without touching the ball, scoring the ball, shooting the ball.”
Coach JJ Redick has used the same starting five in the first two games, deploying Deandre Ayton, Doncic, Gabe Vincent, Austin Reaves and Hachimura, Khobi Price of the Orange County Register notes. Dalton Knecht was also in the first-half rotation after being a DNP-CD (Did Not Play – Coach’s Decision) in the team’s opener.
Jaxson Hayes was ruled out on Friday because of left knee soreness, Price adds. Hayes played 14 minutes in the opener against Golden State.
Former NBA player and coach Damon Jones allegedly gave gamblers inside information regarding LeBron James‘ availability for a couple of games during the 2022/23 season. James, according to Woike and The Athletic’s Joe Vardon, was unaware that someone he considered a friend was tipping information about him and the Lakers for betting purposes.

Lakers Notes: Luka, Smart, Knecht, Ayton, Manon, Kleber

October 13th, 2025 at 10:58pm CST by Rory Maher

Perennial All-NBA guard Luka Doncic and former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart will make their preseason debuts for the Lakers on Tuesday against Phoenix, head coach JJ Redick told reporters, including Dave McMenamin of ESPN and Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group.

Redick said both players will suit up for two of L.A.’s final three preseason games. Given Wednesday’s contest vs. Dallas is the second of a back-to-back, it seems likely that Doncic and Smart will play again on Friday against Sacramento, McMenamin observes.

Doncic hasn’t been injured during the preseason — the Lakers have just been cautious not to overexert him after the 26-year-old spent part of the summer playing for the Slovenian national team at EuroBasket 2025. Redick indicated that Doncic will be on a minutes restriction vs. the Suns.

Forward Jarred Vanderbilt said Doncic has looked good in recent practices, according to Price.

“He’s moving great,” Vanderbilt said Monday. “Everything that I’ve seen from him, like, he’s being vocal. He’s leading the charge, he’s being everything we need him to be right now. We’re happy to have him out there right now during this week, him getting some good practices and running with us, and just starting to build that momentum towards the regular season.”

Smart was originally supposed to play in Sunday’s game against Golden State but his preseason debut was pushed back a couple days. He has battled both Achilles tendinopathy and a stomach illness during training camp.

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While Dalton Knecht‘s trade value has reportedly taken a hit over the past several months, the second-year forward has drawn praise from Redick for his offensive play in training camp, Price adds in another story. Knecht was moved into the starting lineup for Sunday’s win against the Warriors and responded with 16 points. “His sort of ceiling is going to be based on his improvement this season as a defender,” Redick said of Knecht. “He’s a big-time threat and a big-time player, and he’s made improvements. That’s ultimately going to be what the ceiling is for him. He’s earned the opportunity to [get] a look with him in the starting lineup. And our conversations all summer, all preseason, this is a year of player development for him, of growth and what that looks like, it’s got to be incremental. He’s bought into that, which is great.”
As Price writes, Deandre Ayton also had a solid showing on Sunday, recording 14 points, eight rebounds and five assists in 26 minutes. The former No. 1 overall pick has been something of an afterthought the past couple years in Portland, but Austin Reaves believes the Bahamian big man is capable of producing at a high level for the Lakers. “Just how much skill he has,” Reaves responded when asked what has stood out about Ayton. “People forget about when he was in Phoenix and how dominant he was there and how he was one of the biggest reasons that team made it to the Finals [in 2021]. Talent is high. Can play in the pick-and-roll. Can protect the rim. We need that. We need him to flourish in that role.”
Rookie wing Chris Manon will likely miss the remainder of preseason after suffering a Grade 2 ankle sprain, according to Redick (Twitter link via Price). Manon, who is known for his defense, signed a two-way contract with the Lakers in July after playing for the Warriors during Summer League.
Veteran big man Maxi Kleber has dealt with a variety of injuries in recent years, including a broken right foot he suffered in January. He has been battling a quad injury during preseason but was able to play in a stay-ready game on Monday, tweets Dan Woike of The Athletic.

Lakers Notes: Doncic, LeBron, Starting Lineup, Smart

October 11th, 2025 at 9:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

After missing the Lakers‘ first two preseason games, Luka Doncic will play in two of the last four, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Coach JJ Redick announced the plan on Saturday, but he didn’t specify when Doncic will be active and said it hasn’t been determined if he’ll suit up for Sunday’s matchup with Golden State. L.A. will also face Phoenix on Tuesday, Dallas on Wednesday and Sacramento on Friday.

Doncic has been given a reduced workload in practice to allow him to recover from an intense summer representing Slovenia at EuroBasket. He was a full participant during Saturday’s session.

“I had (the) national team,” Doncic said. “Playing one month or something of basketball (for Slovenia). Obviously it’s a long season ahead, so just because of that.”

The Lakers dropped their first two preseason contests while using a modified lineup because Doncic and LeBron James were unavailable.

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Doncic won’t go into games with the feeling that he has to do more while James recovers from sciatica, which is expected to sideline him for at least three to four weeks, McMenamin states in the same piece. “It’s a big change,” Doncic said of having to play without James. “He’s a great player. He can help us a lot. But at the end of the day, our mentality needs to be ‘next man up.’ We got a group of guys that have been practicing and hopefully LeBron can join us as soon as possible. We are going to obviously need him. But our mentality has got to be ‘next man up.'”
James’ absence is presenting a huge challenge for Redick in putting together a starting lineup, McMenamin adds. Doncic, Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton are definite starters heading into the season, but the other two spots are up for grabs. Power forward Rui Hachimura started 57 of the 59 games he played last season, but Jarred Vanderbilt started the first two preseason contests and is fully healthy for the first time in two years. Free agent additions Jake LaRavia and Marcus Smart could contend for the other starting role, depending on whether Redick wants to emphasize offense or defense against a given opponent.
Smart will make his preseason debut on Sunday after sitting out the first two games with Achilles tendinopathy, according to Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. Reaves, who played in the opener but missed the second game, is also expected to be available.

Lakers Notes: Vincent, Ayton, LaRavia, Smart

October 7th, 2025 at 9:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Lakers didn’t have their “big three” available for their second preseason contest, a 111-103 loss to Golden State. It was an improvement from their 22-point loss to Phoenix. With Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves sitting out, Gabe Vincent led the way with 16 points and five assists.

“We came with more intention,” Vincent said, per Thuc Nhi Nguyen of the Los Angeles Times. “We were more focused. Obviously it’s different with those three not playing. They’re a huge part of our team and everything that we do. But next man up.”

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They were outscored by 25 points by Golden State with Deandre Ayton on the court but it’s going to take time for the Lakers to incorporate his skills, Law Murray of The Athletic writes. Murray notes Ayton is going to be very dependent on his play-makers to get him shots, unlike Anthony Davis. He’s not going to get a lot of touches to create shots for others or spread the floor with outside shooting, but it’s not time to panic about Ayton’s ability to help the team, Murray adds.
Jake LaRavia contributed 10 points and three assists against the Warriors and said he’s “already pretty comfortable with the role that I have” with his new team, Dave McMenamin of ESPN tweets. LaRavia left the Kings and signed a two-year deal with the Lakers at the start of free agency.
Marcus Smart participated in the live play portions of practice on Tuesday, per coach JJ Redick, Khobi Price of the Orange County Register tweets. Smart has been limited in camp due to Achilles tendinopathy. “He looked great. He was moving great,” forward Jarred Vanderbilt said, per Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. “But like I said, his main power is that he’s vocal. So being able to help the guys. Communicate, that’s a big part of defense also. Being physical is one of them, but also being vocal, being able to communicate. I think he does both at a very high level. So, he can definitely help us on that end of the floor.” Smart signed with the Lakers after getting bought out by Washington.

Lakers Notes: Ayton, LeBron, Vanderbilt, Bronny

October 4th, 2025 at 5:11pm CST by Arthur Hill

Deandre Ayton only scored one point in 18 minutes on Friday night in his first game with the Lakers, but he preferred to focus on his two blocked shots, which he said are an indication of his commitment to defense, writes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. Ayton, who signed with L.A. this summer after reaching a buyout in Portland, said his primary focus is providing a defensive presence in the middle.

“I wanted to show the team I’m more committed on the defensive end more than the offense in a way,” Ayton said. “Like I say from the get-go, I’m not really here for numbers. I’m just here for whatever the Lakers really want me to do. And the main objective is really protecting that rim and closing out our possessions. And I had fun man, just blocking some shots, just being that anchor and seeing how the guys responded to me.”

Ayton, who missed both his field goal attempts, added that he’s not expecting to take a certain number of shots each night and is willing to let Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves determine his role in the offense.

“(Coach JJ Redick) is trusting these dudes to be our main primary ball handlers and me being the big man in the paint,” Ayton said. “I’m absorbing all of that. It (will) probably be hard not to touch the ball with them great play-makers, to be honest.”

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James missed Friday’s game while recovering from a glute issue, and Redick said the Lakers are taking a “little bit longer of a ramp-up” with their 40-year-old star as they try to get him ready for opening night, Price adds. “For him, it’s different in Year 23,” Redick said. “A normal return-to-play protocol, we try to get 1-on-1, 2-on-2, 3-on-3 exposures versus coaches. And that eventually gets to 3-on-3 live. He knows his body. And so we’ll work with him. We’ll work with (James’ longtime trainer) Mike (Mancias) on making sure he gets a point of comfort where he can sort of be a full participant. But he’s been on the court every day. He’s been in the weight room, continuing to get his body ready.”
Jarred Vanderbilt made an impact on defense on Friday, displaying why Lakers officials have been raving about him in training camp, observes Law Murray of The Athletic. Injuries have limited Vanderbilt to 29 and 36 games the past two seasons, but Murray suggests he could challenge Rui Hachimura for the starting power forward spot if he can improve his outside shooting.
Bronny James suffered through a rough shooting night on Friday, going 1-of-12 from the field, but Redick gave him a vote of confidence and cited his improvement over the past year, per Greg Beacham of The Associated Press. “He is so much more comfortable and confident as a player,” Redick said. “Skill-wise, read-wise, all of those things have improved, but there’s a big difference between improving those things in individual workouts and small group settings, and doing it 5-on-5. … He’s a totally different player than he was a year ago. I thought the stuff that he did down in the G League last year was huge for him in developing a comfort level in playing at this level.”

Lakers Notes: LeBron, Reaves, Ayton, Hachimura, Smart, Thiero

September 29th, 2025 at 4:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Lakers forward LeBron James didn’t offer any specifics on Monday when asked at media day about his retirement plans, but admitted the end of his record-setting career is coming “sooner than later,” writes Dan Woike of The Athletic.

After making it a priority to play with son Bronny James in the NBA, LeBron made it clear on Monday that he won’t necessarily stick around in an effort to do the same thing with Bryce James, who is a freshman at Arizona this year.

“I am not waiting on Bryce,” James said, per Woike. “I don’t know what his own timeline is. I got my timeline, and I don’t know if they quite match up.”

James also said that the opportunity to play with a superstar like Luka Doncic in his prime provides some additional “motivation,” but he said that won’t have a material impact on his retirement decision, which will be made by LeBron and his family (Twitter link via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin).

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Lakers guard Austin Reaves turned down a four-year, $87MM extension offer from the Lakers earlier this offseason and admitted to Woike that he was nervous that decision might cause the team to move him. “I thought that there was a good chance for, like, a week after I declined the extension that there was a possibility I’d get traded,” Reaves said. “I mean, it’s still a possibility.” The Lakers guard wants to remain in Los Angeles, but will be eligible for a more lucrative deal if he waits until at least 2026, when he could become an unrestricted free agent. Team and league sources who spoke to The Athletic believe Reaves could receive an annual salary of $35MM+ on his next contract.
New Lakers center Deandre Ayton said on Monday that coming to L.A. represents the “biggest opportunity of my career” and said repeatedly that he’s not taking it for granted (Twitter links via McMenamin and Khobi Price of the Orange County Register). The former No. 1 overall pick has faced questions about his compete level in recent years.
Forward Rui Hachimura and guard Marcus Smart both told reporters at media day on Monday that it doesn’t matter to them whether they start or come off the bench (Twitter links via Jovan Buha and Khobi Price). James, Doncic, Reaves, and Ayton are probable starters, but that leaves one spot open in the starting five. For what it’s worth, Hachimura did point out that he has established chemistry with James and the starters over the past couple seasons, but stressed that he’s more concerned about his overall minutes than whether he’s on the court to start the game.
Lakers rookie forward Adou Thiero has experienced swelling in his knee and hasn’t been cleared for the start of training camp, according to McMenamin (Twitter links), who hears from a source that Thiero’s rehab process is on schedule and he should be cleared in another week. The second-round pick didn’t play in Summer League after injuring his knee in his final college season at Arkansas.

And-Ones: Top Newcomers, Realignment, McGrady, St. Bonnie’s

September 9th, 2025 at 1:09pm CST by Luke Adams

With most of the NBA’s offseason action now in the books, Chris Herring and Kevin Pelton of ESPN identify the 14 NBA “newcomers” whose changes of scenery will have the greatest impact in 2025/26.

There are no surprises at the top of the list, which features new Rockets forward Kevin Durant at No. 1, Magic guard Desmond Bane at No. 2, and Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson at No. 3. However, Herring and Pelton deviate a little from expectations at No. 4 by including a head coach: Mike Brown of the Knicks. As Herring writes, it’s possible no coach in the league will face more “title-or-bust pressure” than Brown in his first year on the job.

Lakers center Deandre Ayton rounds out the top five on the 14-man list, which – outside of Brown – is made up exclusively of players.

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What might NBA realignment look like if the league were to expand to Las Vegas and Seattle? Zach Harper of The Athletic takes a closer look at that topic, exploring scenarios in which either the Timberwolves, Pelicans, or Grizzlies move to the Eastern Conference and considering how the league might shuffle its divisions around in each hypothetical case.
Former NBA star Tracy McGrady has signed a new endorsement deal to reunite with Adidas, according to Shams Charania of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that the two parties are expected to work with longtime sports marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro to revive the ABCD (Academic Betterment and Career Development) Camp. As Charania explains in a follow-up tweet, the ABCD Camp was a youth basketball camp that ran for over two decades from 1984-2006 and featured several future stars, including McGrady himself.
The St. Bonaventure men’s basketball program will host its first ever pro day on Saturday, October 11 at the NBPA training facility in Manhattan, according to a press release from the school. “The first Bonnies Pro Day is a tremendous opportunity for NBA and G League front office executives to scout our players in a competitive practice and workout environment,” former ESPN reporter and current St. Bonnie’s general manager Adrian Wojnarowski said in a statement.

Lakers Notes: Buss, Ayton, Doncic, LeBron

July 10th, 2025 at 11:08am CST by Luke Adams

A statement last month indicated that Jeanie Buss is expected to remain the Lakers‘ governor “for the foreseeable future” even after the team is sold to incoming owner Mark Walter. That “foreseeable future” will span quite some time, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic, who hears from a source that the agreement between the two sides calls for Buss to remain in her governor role for at least the next five seasons.

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Speaking to reporters at his introductory press conference on Tuesday, new Lakers center Deandre Ayton said that signing with Los Angeles “feels like a video game” and that he doesn’t intend to take the opportunity for granted, as Mark Medina of RG.org relays. Ayton called new teammate Luka Doncic a “once-in-a-generation player” and cited Doncic’s and LeBron James‘ career assist numbers as one reason why he expects to thrive in L.A. “They turn (their teammates) into superstars,” Ayton said, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “They make them bigger than their roles, they make them very important on the floor.”
Ayton also said on Tuesday that he’s motivated by critics who have questioned his effort, focus, and maturity, according to Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. “It fuels me,” Ayton said. “It fuels me up completely. And it’s a different type of drive that I’ve been wanting to express for a long time. I think this is the perfect timing, here in the purple and gold. And it’s a platform that I cannot run from. I can show what I really am and just be around some greats to really emphasize that for me as well. It is a lot of fuel in me to prove to the whole world.”
After social media posts revealed that LeBron James visited the Cavaliers‘ practice facility last week, the star forward clarified (via Twitter) that it’s an annual occurrence for him, since he lives and trains in the area during the offseason. Still, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said during an appearance on ESPN Cleveland (Twitter video link) that LeBron knew what he was doing when he was photographed in the Cavs’ building amidst speculation about his future. “LeBron absolutely knows that he will cause a wave with these social media things,” Windhorst said (hat tip to Adam Zagoria of NJ.com). “On one hand, he is just coming home for the holiday, he is just doing something that he has done numerous times in the past. On the other hand, by doing what’s he’s doing, he’s absolutely poking the bear and being passive aggressive. And by the way, the Lakers are being passive-aggressive back at LeBron. They did not announce his option pick-up. So they’re both acting in the same way. Now, how is this going to get resolved? And my answer to you, in full honesty, is I don’t know.”

Contract Details: Capela, VanVleet, Lopez, Ayton, LaRavia, Kalkbrenner

July 7th, 2025 at 2:16pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets‘ new three-year deal with Clint Capela includes a 5% trade kicker, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

The fully guaranteed deal is worth $21,105,000 over three years, Hoops Rumors has confirmed, coming in slightly below the initially reported price of $21.5MM. It includes a first-year salary of $6.7MM, with an ascending structure that sees it increase to $7.37MM by year three.

Here are a few more details on some recently signed contracts from around the NBA:

Fred VanVleet‘s two-year, $50MM contract with the Rockets has a flat structure, with a $25MM first-year salary and a $25MM player option for 2026/27, Hoops Rumors has learned.
Brook Lopez‘s two-year deal with the Clippers came in slightly below the reported $18MM price. It uses $8.75MM of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception for the 2025/26 season, leaving L.A. with $5,354,000 still to use. Lopez’s second-year team option is worth $9,187,500
The Lakers‘ used up their entire $14,104,000 non-taxpayer mid-level exception on Deandre Ayton ($8,104,000) and Jake LaRavia ($6MM), as expected. Those salary figures are also Ayton’s and LaRavia’s cap hits for 2026/27 — Ayton’s second year is a player option and LaRavia’s is fully guaranteed.
No. 34 overall pick Ryan Kalkbrenner signed a four-year, $9.97MM contract with the Hornets, according to Scotto (Twitter link). That’s the most he could earn under the terms of the second-round pick exception. Kalkbrenner’s first two years are fully guaranteed, with a third-year trigger date and a fourth-year team option, Scotto adds.