Deandre Ayton Lakers Links Spawn Hilarious NBA Memes Amid LeBron James Trade Rumors

The Lakers are in search of a starting center for their team with DeAndre Ayton's name coming up, garnering mixed reactions from NBA fans.

Deandre Ayton Lakers Links Spawn Hilarious NBA Memes Amid LeBron James Trade Rumors

DeAndre Ayton and LeBron James (Image by FirstSportz)

The Portland Trail Blazers have made the unexpected decision to buy out Deandre Ayton from his contract. In 2025–2026, the last year of his four-year, $132 million contract deal, the former No. 1 overall pick was scheduled to make $35.5 million. This is the first time since he joined the league, he is officially an unrestricted free agent.

The Lakers fans, in particular, wasted no time, just as Shams Charania reported about this news. Mostly because the franchise requires a starting center urgently. However, while some fans were happy with Ayton being a Laker, the majority of them did not approve of this signing. They did not waste any time making memes on Ayton and trolling the player.

However, Ayton’s numbers, especially in the 2024-25 NBA season, say something else about him. At 7’0″ and 252 pounds, the former No. 1 choice is incredibly athletic. He appears to be the ideal piece to complete the Lakers’ puzzle. He also just finished a strong season in Portland, averaging 10.2 rebounds and 14.4 points on 56.6% shooting.

Naturally, other teams will also be interested in Ayton. Although there will be a lot of talented players, supporters believe Ayton would not turn down the opportunity to play alongside Luka Doncic and LeBron James. The biggest concern here is that James is not the same anymore, and Doncic is defensively poor, putting all the burden on Ayton.

For a while now, the Lakers have been trying to fill this center void. Even former Laker Anthony Davis noted that they needed one before they were traded. They were eliminated last season despite having a successful regular-season run, not having a starting center being one of the major reasons reading their elimination. That said, fans are not yet completely sold on Ayton’s move to the Lakers.

Fans did not waste time trolling Deandre Ayton after coming across his links to the Lakers

According to many NBA analysts and reporters, Deandre Ayton would be a significant addition, especially in light of the Lakers’ interior and glass bludgeoning at the end of the 2024–25 season. Regarding possible pick-and-roll partners for LeBron James and Luka Doncic, his game is perfect. However, fans are not on the same page with this.

DeAndre Ayton
DeAndre Ayton (Credits: MARCA)

The majority of the NBA fans took to various social media apps and sites to put forward their views and takes on this matter. Many were spotted trolling Ayton and the Lakers’ defense combo amidst the LeBron James trade rumors in the background. One of the fans tweeted, “He’s so lazy.” Check out some of the fan reactions below:

On the other hand, Ever the optimists, Lakers supporters are already starting to sign Ayton in the hopes that the recently freed center can solve their center position problems. Only time will tell how this matter unfolds in the coming days/weeks as the Lakers’ search for a starting center continues.

Lakers eyeing veteran player to fill the void of their starting center role

Finding the missing component will be crucial for teams hoping to return to championship contention, as is the situation every summer. The Los Angeles Lakers and other teams will prioritize filling Anthony Davis’s void. As per reports, the Lakers are eyeing their former player, Brook Lopez.

Lopez, a former Stanford Cardinal, will be one of the centers available this offseason. Lopez is expected to be a highly sought-after big man on the market after a season in which he averaged 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and just under two assists, demonstrating that he is still capable of producing at a high level at the age of 37.

Lopez, who played for the Lakers from 2017 to 2018, is already acquainted with the team. Although Lopez is not as explosive as Davis, he is still a better center than the Lakers currently have. With names like DeAndre Ayton also in the mix, it will be intriguing to watch who the Lakers sign during the 2025 NBA Free Agency.

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