標籤: Aytons

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.

It was a tough night for the Los Angeles Lakers as they lost to the Denver Nuggets 120-113 with DeAndre Ayton out with a knee injury. Before the injury, Ayton had received criticism from fans for his effort on the court. Marcus Smart discusses the criticism and talks about Ayton’s play.

“I know he’s been getting a lot of feedback lately for his effort and his play. He understands it. I know it might not seem like it, but he does and he wants to do well and he wants to help this team” – Marcus Smart on DeAndre Ayton pic.twitter.com/Sw8UGm30rz

-Dave McMenamin (@mcten) 6 March 2026

Smart was referring to both the injury and earlier criticism. The Lakers struggled to keep up with the Nuggets, and Ayton was unable to stay on the court, playing only four minutes. The good news right now is that Ayton’s injury isn’t serious, but that hasn’t diminished the comments about his overall effort.

Ayton faced some controversy recently due to comments he made about not wanting to be Clint Capela. He made these comments specifically referring to his role with the Lakers. Even Capela clapped back for Ayton’s comment, which set off a league-wide frenzy of players and fans at the Lakers Center.

Ayton is currently averaging 12.6 points and 8.2 rebounds per game while shooting 66.7% from the floor. These numbers are lower than his previous statistics with other teams, as he has surpassed LeBron James, Austin Reeves, and Luka Doncic. Many in the league are encouraging Ayton to accept this role and help the Lakers in any way he can.

Only time will tell if Ayton can accept this role and adapt to his situation with the Lakers. With the Lakers currently sitting in sixth place in the Western Conference, they will need everyone to do their part to have a chance to climb out of the scary Western Conference.

Deandre Ayton will probably never take the next step in his career. He may just be an impressive center who falls short of true stardom. The Los Angeles Lakers and their fans understand what kind of player the 2018 No. 1 pick is, but they want him to play with obvious energy and happiness. He certainly did that during a thrilling third quarter sequence in Friday’s thrilling 125-122 win against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Austin Reaves made a great outlet pass to LeBron James, who immediately passed the ball to Ayton. The alley-oop extended the Lakers’ lead to 14 and electrified the home crowd at Crypto.com Arena, but it also demonstrated the impact the 27-year-old big man can have when his instincts are right. He ran the court beautifully and read James’ eyes perfectly, and the end result was a big play that gave LA tremendous momentum (at least for a while).

Ayton was incredibly grateful to be a part of such a rhythmic experience on the basketball court, and it will stay with him for a long time. According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, he said of the fast break, “It was one of the highlights of my career.” “I needed that.”

LeBron James throws it for Deandre Ayton SLAM 🍿😤

pic.twitter.com/1WyeV5zYCL

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 21 February 2026

Deandre Ayton could be the X-factor on this team. If he can be at full strength, the Lakers should be a legitimate championship contender. But which version of the Ayton will appear on the floor?

The former Arizona Wildcats star recorded a modest 13 points and seven rebounds against the Clippers. His scoring is naturally going to be down with offensive dynamos like Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reeves, but he can still make a noticeable difference on the glass.

Ayton is posting a career-low 8.4 rebounds per game (his minutes are down a bit, but on a per 36 minutes basis the statement is still true). The Lakers grabbed 40.9 boards per contest, which ranked 28th in the NBA. They need to be stronger in the paint.

He has averaged a double-double in his career. This is not a role player. Now is the time for him to remind everyone what he is capable of achieving. Perhaps Alley could be the harbinger of a Deandre Ayton renaissance.

Obviously this drama left an impact on him. Los Angeles (34-21) will look to build on that lead when they host the Boston Celtics (36-19) this Sunday night.