Photo: Deandre Ayton/Twitter

Alongside the Lakers’ star guard Luka Doncic, assistant coach Scott Brooks is reportedly a strong supporter of bringing Deandre Ayton to Los Angeles, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (via Substack).

Brooks, who previously coached Ayton during their time together in Portland for one season, is said to have been an influential voice in advocating for the Lakers to pursue the veteran big man.

Additionally, Stein reports that it was Ayton himself who initiated the buyout agreement with the Portland Trail Blazers, signaling his desire to move on and join a new team.

This request paved the way for the buyout deal that allowed Ayton to become a free agent and eventually join the Lakers.

The combined support from Doncic and Brooks, along with Ayton’s own willingness to seek a fresh start, has helped facilitate this move and raised expectations about the potential fit between Ayton and the Lakers’ roster.

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