The Lakers have officially moved on from Deandre Ayton, and in the process they’ve brought in a familiar face for Luka Doncic.
Los Angeles announced Tuesday night that it had completed the trade with the Washington Wizards, sending Ayton to Washington in exchange for Jaden Hardy and two second-round picks. ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported last Friday that the teams were working to finalize the deal, though it could not be completed until July 6.
“Lakers officially announce the Jaden Hardy trade,” Offside’s Anthony Irwin wrote on X/Twitter while sharing a screenshot of the new press release.
For the Lakers, the move closes the book on a rocky fit with Ayton. The 7-foot center’s 2025-26 season never really got on track, and the team had to lean on multiple motivational tactics just to try to get him moving in the right direction. That kind of push shouldn’t be necessary in the NBA, and Los Angeles clearly decided it could not count on him as either a starter or a reserve over the long haul.
Ayton, the former No. 1 overall pick out of Arizona, finished the season averaging 12.5 points and 8.0 rebounds while shooting 67.1% from the field across 72 games.
Hardy gives the Lakers something different: a proven perimeter threat who has already spent time alongside Doncic. In his fourth season, the 24-year-old averaged 9.2 points between the Mavericks and Wizards, shooting 42.4% from the field and 39.7% from beyond the arc.
Los Angeles is banking on that shooting to matter, especially with Doncic in the mix. How it all looks once the pieces are in place will be the next thing to watch.
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