The Knicks could have paired Ayton with Karl-Anthony Towns in their frontcourt, with Mitchell Robinson serving as the club’s backup center. Instead, the team went in a different direction, and Ayton opted to join Luka Doncic and LeBron James in Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Lakers will reportedly re-sign center Jaxson Hayes on a one-year deal, per ESPN's Shams Charania, who provided more information.

The Los Angeles Lakers further shored up their depth at center by bringing back center Jaxson Hayes, according to ESPN. Hayes' one-year pact with the Lakers was reached on Thursday, the day after news broke that the team will sign Deandre Ayton to a two-year deal.

The Los Angeles Lakers’ front office has kept trade rumors swirling as they explore ways to strengthen their roster and compete for a championship next season. With free agency drawing to a close, Los Angeles is looking at potential deals to boost its depth at forward and on the wing — but some proposals have caught fans completely off guard.

The Los Angeles Lakers put forth impressive efforts this season to clinch the championship. However, their journey came to an end in the first round of the playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves.