Deandre Ayton

Deandre Ayton is keeping his place with the Los Angeles Lakers, while Marcus Smart is heading into the market after declining his player option. The paired decisions give the Lakers an early offseason twist around two veterans who played important roles last season. According to ESPN, Ayton is opting into his $8.1 million player option for the 2026-27 season. Smart, meanwhile, is turning down his $5.4 million option, a move that makes him a free agent. Ayton’s decision keeps a key frontcourt piece in place Ayton’s choice follows a season in which he gave up $10 million of his $35.6 million contract to reach a buyout agreement with the Portland Trail Blazers last summer. He joined the Lakers on a two-year, $16.2 million deal with a player option built into the second season. The former No. 1 pick responded with productive numbers in his first year in Los Angeles. He averaged 12.5 points on 67.1% shooting and 8.0 rebounds per game in the regular season, then delivered 10.0 points and 9.6 rebounds in the playoffs. His postseason run included a strong finish against the Houston Rockets in the first round, giving the Lakers a dependable interior presence when it mattered most. Ayton, who turns 28 this summer, previously spent five seasons with the Phoenix Suns and two with Portland before arriving in Los Angeles last offseason. Smart’s exit opens another decision for the Lakers Smart’s choice is just as notable because he returned to form with Los Angeles after two difficult seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies and Washington Wizards. The former Defensive Player of the Year led the Lakers in plus-minus, with the team outscoring opponents by 256 points in his minutes last season. The 32-year-old guard was recruited to the Lakers by Luka Doncic and became a regular starter, opening 54 of the 62 games he played. He finished with averages of 9.3 points, 3.0 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals, showing enough impact to matter even without a huge scoring load. With Ayton opting in and Smart opting out, the Lakers now face two different roster paths at once. One veteran remains under contract for another season, while the other is free to test the market after a year in which he helped stabilize the team. Read more at: www.espn.com

Ayton Stays, Smart Walks Away, Lakers Face a Fresh Roster Twist