The Los Angeles Lakers are trading center Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards for guard Jaden Hardy and two second-round picks in 2031 and 2032, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Friday.

L.A., which agreed to a sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz for center Walker Kessler earlier this week, will now search for a backup big man on the market and Andre Drummond, Jonas Valanciunas and Kevon Looney are among those being considered, sources told Charania.

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  • The two second-round picks will help replenish the Lakers’ future draft assets after they parted with two future first-round picks and two future pick swaps as part of the Kessler deal.

    Washington will add Ayton to a big-man rotation featuring Alex Sarr, the No. 2 pick in the 2024 draft, and Anthony Davis, a 10-time All-Star. Sarr underwent surgery to repair a fracture in his right foot last month and Ayton’s presence will provide some insurance for Washington’s frontline while Sarr recovers.

    Ayton joined L.A. after securing a buyout with the Portland Trail Blazers last summer. He played 72 games, starting all of them, and averaged 12.5 points on 67.1% and 8.0 rebounds. He had a major impact on the Lakers first-round postseason victory over the Houston Rockets, averaging 11.8 points on 60.4%, 10.8 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in six games but was less effective in the second round when L.A. was swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder (7.3 points on 45.2%, 7.8 rebounds).

    Washington could acquire Ayton into their $13.4 million Kelly Olynyk trade exception, which expires July 9, according to ESPN NBA front office insider Bobby Marks. If the Wizards do that, they would create a new $6 million exception, according to Marks.

    Hardy, a former teammate of Luka Doncic’s in Dallas, averaged 12.6 points on 44.3% (42% from 3), 1.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 23 games after being traded to Washington last season. The 23-year-old has two-years, $12 million remaining on his contract, with a team option for 2027-28.

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