Warriors Gain Center DeAndre Ayton After Trail Blazers Buyout

The Golden State Warriors are poised to aggressively pursue center DeAndre Ayton following his buyout agreement with the Portland Trail Blazers, which frees him to sign with any team despite having a $35.6 million expiring contract. Ayton, a former No. 1 overall pick, represents a significant upgrade at the center position for the Warriors, who have expressed a desire to move away from small-ball lineups and address concerns about their current options like Quinten Post. Golden State's young frontcourt players Gui Santos and Quinten Post have had their team options exercised, keeping them on affordable deals, but Ayton's potential addition could be transformative given his averages last season of 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 1.0 block per game. The Warriors will face competition for Ayton’s signature, notably from the Los Angeles Lakers, who also seek to bolster their interior presence. Meanwhile, the Warriors are exploring other roster moves including potential sign-and-trade deals involving Jonathan Kuminga and Andrew Wiggins, with the Milwaukee Bucks re-signing Bobby Portis, indicating ongoing strategic maneuvering in free agency. Overall, Golden State is actively positioning itself to strengthen its roster for a championship run in the coming season.