Deandre Ayton expected to pick up player option

HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 18: Deandre Ayton #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts prior to the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on March 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images While Deandre Ayton’s debut season in Los Angeles wasn’t the perf