Ayton thrilled to be with 'once-in-a-generation' Doncic - ESPN

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — More than seven years after being selected two spots ahead of Luka Doncic in the NBA Draft, 2018 No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton was amazed Tuesday when he was introduced as Doncic's newest Los Angeles Lakers teammate.

«This feels like a video game, like somebody set it up,» Ayton, decked out in an all-black suit, said at his introductory news conference. «This is an opportunity that I won't take for granted. Luka is a once-in-a-generation player, and I'm happy to be his teammate. Hearing about the kind of shape he's been in, he's super ripped, and I'm finally glad to be on his side.»

While a slimmed-down Doncic could certainly help the Lakers in the hyper-competitive Western Conference next season, Ayton's arrival could be even more consequential.

Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka identified the center position as the team's top need for the offseason. Ayton, 26, stands 7-foot, 250 pounds with career averages of 16.4 points on 59.0% shooting, 10.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks.

He agreed to a two-year, $16.6 million deal with a player option for the second year, sources told ESPN, after being bought out of his contract with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Once a key cog on a Phoenix Suns team that was two wins away from winning the 2021 NBA Finals and followed that up with a 64-win season, Ayton admitted that his time in Portland — where the Blazers won 57 games combined over their past two campaigns — was a challenge.

«I feel like the Lakers were the best position [for me],» Ayton said. «They want to win a championship right now, and I want to win right now as well and just be part of a winning legacy and be around winners.… The last two years was just a different route for