Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton tempted the basketball gods and karma when he reportedly complained that the team is trying to turn him into a version of lob threat/rim-runner Clint Capela. Less than 48 hours later, he had to pay a heavy price for those alleged locker-room comments. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft scored two points on 1-3 shooting with four rebounds and a steal. He was -24 on the court against the Phoenix Suns, as LA lost 113-110 at the Mortgage Matchup Center.
Royce O'Neal deserves the spotlight after hitting the game-winning 3-pointer with less than a second left on the clock, but the public is focusing most of its attention on Ayton. In the Lakers' second consecutive disastrous loss, he disappeared against his former team and was force-fed a bigger slice of the modest pie. His performance tells the story effectively, but fans are expressing their opinions on the matter.
NBA fans flock to the Lakers' Deandre Ayton
Chris Walder of Odds Shark posted on X, "Deandre Ayton said the Los Angeles Lakers were trying to make him Clint Capela, and in his first game after those comments, he started playing like Kwame Brown."
For those wondering, Capela recorded four points, six rebounds, three assists and four blocks in just 17 minutes of action as the Houston Rockets defeated the Orlando Magic on the same night as Ayton's loss.
@BeenHim16 declared, "On everything I love, if Deandre Ayton wasn't 7 feet tall, he would literally be my DoorDash." @jeff_on_sports commented, "The Deandre Ayton signing is going exactly like the haters said it would." “Finally earned the #1 pick for the Suns,” @The_MilesFiles quipped. "Their best player tonight."
Ouch. Ayton has experienced some good moments while wearing the purple and gold – totaling 21 points and 13 boards on Tuesday vs. the Magic – but his first season in L.A. has not gone as fans expected. The 27-year-old entered the Suns clash averaging 13.2 points and 8.5 rebounds in 49 games. Fans criticize him, but when at his best he can be a real difference maker.
Ayton has averaged a double-double for his career, so he should have the ability to make a consistent impact. However, Lakers and NBA fans aren't seeing it. After this difficult run in Phoenix, the Bahamian has reached a crucial point in his Los Angeles tenure. He could allow himself to be filled with conflict and subsequent ridicule, or he could use this low point as motivation for the remainder of the campaign.
Which path will he take?
