Lakers Trade Ayton for Hardy and Future Picks | Washington DC News

Washington DC News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 4, 2026 · 1m

Lakers pull off a savvy trade, sending Deandre Ayton to the Wizards for Jaden Hardy and two future second-round picks — a move that recoups assets after the Kessler deal left them thin. Hardy, a sharp-shooting scorer averaging 12+ PPG last season, could give LA a much-needed bench spark. With Ayton gone, the Lakers now turn to free agency to fill the backup center role — and may target Rui Hachimura or Jonathan Kuminga. They’re also eyeing the stretch provision on Jarred Vanderbilt to open cap space, but will wait to see if they can land those key pieces before making bigger roster moves…