The Washington Wizards have agreed to acquire center Deandre Ayton from the Los Angeles Lakers, league sources confirmed on Friday, July 3, 2026.
In exchange, the Wizards sent guard Jaden Hardy and two future second-round draft selections to Los Angeles.
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The trade sends Washington's second-round picks in 2031 and 2032 to the Lakers, replenishing their asset drawer that previously held only one tradeable second-round pick and one first-round pick swap.
Frontcourt Reshaped
The Wizards plan to use Ayton as the primary backup center behind Alex Sarr. His addition also provides starting depth given Anthony Davis's historical injury trends.
Ayton represents a low-risk addition for Washington.
The 27-year-old big man has only one guaranteed season remaining on his contract, valued at $8.1 million for the 2026-27 campaign.
The move reunites Ayton with Wizards assistant coach Cody Toppert, who previously coached the center during their shared tenure with the Phoenix Suns organization.
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With this acquisition, the Wizards roster now features three former number one overall draft picks: Ayton, Anthony Davis, and the 2026 top selection AJ Dybantsa.
Hardy heads to the Lakers after averaging 12.0 points per game and shooting 42.0 percent from three-point range as a bench scorer for Washington.
He arrived from Dallas in February.
Los Angeles will now look to the free-agent market to secure a backup center to complement newly acquired starter Walker Kessler.
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The team is also monitoring potential trades for wing defenders like Jonathan Kuminga.
