On paper, Deandre Ayton has enjoyed a great start to life with the Los Angeles Lakers, averaging 12.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in 53 starts. Dig deeper, however, and the cracks begin to appear, mostly due to flaws on defense and Ayton's refusal to become a role player on a roster loaded with offensive talent.
This was very evident in Ayton's "They're trying to make me Clint Capela" comment, which has drawn some harsh criticism from Miami Heat legend Udonis Haslem.
"I played with the Big 3, the other 12 of us didn't have the role we wanted... and you're no different than Deandre Ayton. Play your role and get your ring or not."
- Udonis Haslem 👀
(via @NBAonPrime)pic.twitter.com/VG4O5jH1X5
- ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 6 March 2026
"For Deandre Ayton, we're talking about buying in. That's a losing mentality. If that's what's required of you to put your team in a position to win a championship, then you've got to buy in and do your part," he said, according to a post on X by ClutchPoints, suggesting that Ayton needs to be more open to his team's needs.
The Lakers need the No. 1 pick of the 2018 draft to become a rim-running, screen-setting center and play a less offensive role with primary scorers like LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
"I played with the Big 3, the other 12 of us didn't have the role we wanted. Only three guys had the role they wanted. Everybody else had to fill a gap and play their role to get wins. And you're no different than Deandre Ayton. Play your role and get your ring or not," Haslem concluded, referencing his time playing with Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James.
With Doncic orchestrating the offense and LeBron continuing to serve as one of the league's most productive creators even early in his career, Los Angeles doesn't need additional post-up scoring from its center. Instead, the offense requires vertical spacing, offensive rebounding, rim protection, and efficient finishing near the basket.
However, Ayton has a plus-minus of -65 since the All-Star break, primarily due to an erratic style of play with regular defensive lapses. His two-point performance against the Phoenix Suns also earned applause from Capela, who urged Ayton to be locked up because his team had two of the game's best floor generals.
Needless to say, as Haslem has claimed, Ayton may need to embrace his new role with the Lakers, especially given the overall production their Big-3 is currently producing.
