Lakers star’s admission on trade: “it feels like somebody set it up”

After being bought out of his contract with the Portland Trail Blazers, Deandre Ayton agreed to a two-year, $16.6 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, and he’s absolutely delighted about it.

The 26-year-old spoke of his elation at sealing the move that will see him link up with both LeBron James and Luka Doncic, arguably the two most famous faces in the NBA at present.

“This feels like a video game, like somebody set it up,” Ayton, admitted during his introductory news conference as a Laker. “This is an opportunity that I won’t take for granted. Luka is a once-in-a-generation player, and I’m happy to be his teammate. Hearing about the kind of shape he’s been in, he’s super ripped, and I’m finally glad to be on his side.”

“When you don’t win in this league, you can be forgotten"

On why he accepted the offer from the Los Angeles outfit, Ayton told reportes that “I feel like the Lakers were the best position [for me],” adding that “They want to win a championship right now, and I want to win right now as well and just be part of a winning legacy and be around winners. ... The last two years was just a different route for me and I just learned a lot that when you don’t win in this league, you can be forgotten.”

Despite Ayton’s excitement at playing ball with his new friends, LeBron’s future at the Lakers isn’t quite a done deal. Despite nothing concrete rumbling, there is no smoke without fire and these exit rumours still have not gone away. This, of course, didn’t phase Ayton: “[LeBron James and Luka Doncic] both average about nine assists over their career span,” Ayton beamed. “They turn [their teammates] into superstars, they make them bigger than their roles, they make them very important on the floor.” He also admitted later that LeBron didn’t send him a welcome text; Luka Doncic did.

Deandre Ayton, playing for the Portland Trail Blazers, posted numbers, averaging 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists over 30.2 minutes per game. He finished with an efficient 56.6% field-goal rate, with 0.8 steals and 1.0 blocks per contest. His career numbers average out at 16.4 points on 59.0% shooting, 10.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks.

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