The Los Angeles Lakers agreed to trade center DeAndre Ayton to the Washington Wizards for Jaden Hardy and two second-round picks (2031, 2032). The move was first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania on Friday. Here are some quick grades and reflections on the move for each team.
Lakers Trade Grade And Outlook
The Lakers recently acquired Walker Kessler via sign and trade with the Utah Jazz. They gave up a lot to get him, but it was worth it to keep Luka Doncic happy. Trading Ayton was inevitable once that move happened, especially as the Lakers fans had progressively gotten more frustrated with the big man.
The Lakers will now turn their focus to the free agency market and find themselves a cheap backup center. Some options include Andre Drummond, Jonas Valanciunas, and Kevon Looney. In the end, it will be Ayton in exchange for Hardy, two second-round picks, and a free-agent center. Their roster and future will look better after this move.
Grade: B+
Wizards Trade Grade And Outlook
The Wizards didn’t give up much in this deal, and they get a player who could be one of the better backup centers in the league. They added a ton of depth this offseason, and they continue that trend with this move. He will play behind Alex Sarr and Anthony Davis in the frontcourt in 2026-27. This isn’t a trade that will make them contenders, but it will give them great insurance and add to their depth that teams strive for. A great trade for low value in Washington.
Grade: A
End Of My Los Angeles Lakers Trade Grades Rant
The Lakers and Wizards both got better in this trade. Washington added extra center depth as they look to really push to be contenders in the Eastern Conference. Los Angeles got better by using addition by subtraction. There was no benefit to keeping Ayton around after the Kessler move.
