Veteran center Deandre Ayton has agreed to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers following his buyout from the Portland Trail Blazers, per ESPN's Shams Charania.

Deandre Ayton and Luka Doncic are set to begin their journey as teammates but it's far from the first time they've been linked. Both players were drafted in 2018 and their respective careers have trended in opposite directions.

The Los Angeles Lakers are signing veteran forward Deandre Ayton to a one-year, $34 million deal, according to a report from ESPN's Shams Charania. NBA insider Marc Stein was the first to report on Wednesday that rival executives expected Ayton to sign with the Lakers upon formally clearing waivers at 5 p.m. ET.