Deandre Ayton reportedly had a messy tenure that ultimately led to the Portland Trail Blazers buying out his contract, but his new squad could help put some of his past issues behind him.

Deandre Ayton is the newest member of the Los Angeles Lakers, agreeing to terms on a two-year contract that — as things stand — will make him the starting center in 2025-26. As of July 3, he is the only big man in head coach JJ Redick’s rotation, meaning he will need to take on a relatively high workload next to Luka Doncic and LeBron James.

Then-ESPN analyst JJ Redick complemented Deandre Ayton on-air long before teaming up with the center on the Lakers