Deandre Ayton has had a mixed start to life with the Los Angeles Lakers, largely due to his new role with the team. Accustomed to being the focal point on offense, it's no secret that Ayton has faced his struggles being the defensive lynchpin on an offensively stacked roster.
There was even a feud with Houston Rockets star Clint Capela, with Ayton claiming after a game that the Lakers were trying to make him play like the former Atlanta Hawks man. However, things have changed recently, with the 27-year-old recently telling The Athletic that he has taken a part out of his game.
"That's a fact. That's a true fact. But I, I scratched him, I took him out. I said... when it comes to scoring, we don't need that. We need you to put that energy into offense and defense," he said.
Lakers fans have been saying this since the beginning. However, it appears Ayton needed a 'mirror session' to get it on his game.
"I just started looking in the mirror and saying 'Yo bro, ... you're not that guy. You don't need to be on this team at all to do this. This team, you're here to try and be the guy to shut down possessions, get rebounds, run the floor very hard, do big things, outwork superstars,'" he revealed.
And well, even though it came late, the No. 1 pick of the 2018 draft claimed he's finally "having fun with it," which also seems like the way to go. The Lakers are one of the most offensively talented teams in recent NBA history, featuring players like LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves as their Big-3, all three of whom have recently returned to form.
This means that Ayton's job in the team is to shore up the defense and ensure that his team is not weak inside. This undoubtedly represents a huge difference in what a successful game could look like for Ayton.
"I'm telling you, once I sit that long, that's usually what happens. It's like... 'You got kicked out (of the game) for some reason - think about it. But lately it's been like, 'No, DA. You're good.'" he said.
Ayton said he has 'completely bought in, 110%', claiming that he was hoping fans would also be able to see the work he was doing. This coincides with the Lakers' stellar performance recently, with Ayton finishing with a positive plus/minus in each of his last five games.
