The New York Knicks reportedly had DeAndre Eton on the radar following the acquisition of a contract with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Eventually, Deandre Ayton joined forces with Luka Doncic and Lebron James at Los Angeles Lakers.
He joined the Lakers in a $16.6 million deal over just two years. So the question is, do you regret that the New York Knicks didn’t sign Ayton?
Ayton has only been running for the Portland Trail Blazers for just two seasons, opening up a series of backlash from his previous No. 1 overall pick.
Some have named him “Tasty Doofus,” while others believe the Lakers are set to Ayton for a miserable season on the floor.
At first glance, it may seem like the Knicks dodged a bullet, but were they really?
“He’s clearly not on their radar, but the Knicks also did some background work at DeAndre Ayton, and some decision makers considered Ayton a good fit next to the town of Karl Anthon,” wrote Ian Begley of Sny.
He added: “Part of their background work included talking to the Trail Blazers about Ayton, who gave Ayton good feedback to the team who called him.
“The Knicks received similar positive feedback from Portland about some of the younger Blazers and the leadership of Ayton.”
This contradicts the general consensus regarding Ayton’s reputation in the locker room. If Begley’s report is correct, that means the Lakers ultimately have a talented starting point center.
A loss at Ayton is not a big blow to the Knicks thanks to the arrival of Gershon Yabucele from the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 29-year-old averaged 11.0 points per game, 5.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists from the field last season, shot 50.1% from the field and 38.0% from the 3-point line.
Additionally, the Knicks signed him for just $12 million over two years. As a result, the Knicks are being supported to succeed during the 2025-26 season.