標籤: DeAndre

In ESPN’s latest NBA mock draft, the Los Angeles Lakers find an interesting replacement for Deandre Ayton in the June event.

This has been a very good season for the Lakers. Despite some early bumps in the road and major questions about the team’s chemistry and dedication to defense, LA came into the season in a much stronger position. However, injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reeves seemed to end any hopes of a deep run in this year’s playoffs. Or so we thought.

Thanks to the brilliance of LeBron James and some shockingly good play from Luke Kennard, the Lakers actually lead 3-1 in their opening-round series against the Houston Rockets entering Game 5 on Wednesday at home. Still, while the chance to go far in the postseason is back, the front office needs to keep an eye on the impending offseason.

In a few months, the team will have to find out if LeBron James, Austin Reaves, or Deandre Ayton are in their plans after this season. It seems like they want James back – at the right price – and will certainly give Reeves a huge raise in free agency. It seems Ayton is a strange man. Although he has been solid for them in 2025-26, he hasn’t made a case that he will be difficult to replace.

Los Angeles Lakers predicted to draft UNC’s Henry Vissar

Perhaps that’s why the Lakers have selected Ayton’s replacement with their first-round selection in ESPN’s new NBA mock draft.

Jeremy Wu writes, “The Lakers have some roster uncertainty next season with James and potentially Reeves (player option) entering free agency. The most glaring need is at center, where they stand to move on from the stellar Deandre Ayton.” “Henry Vissar will elevate their skill level and add a floor-spacing element that the roster is lacking.”

The North Carolina center is 7-feet and 225 pounds. The junior had a breakout year for the Tar Heels after transferring from Arizona. Posting 17.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and shooting 42% from three.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

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.

LOS ANGELES – One of the prevailing stories around the Los Angeles Lakers this season has been the need for more consistent play from Deandre Ayton. With the regular season approaching, the Ayton experiment has had mixed results for the Lakers.

There have been games when Ayton looked like one of the NBA’s best centers and a consistent 20-point, 10+ rebound player. And then there are games where he’s somewhat invisible on the court. Now some of this has to do with matchups and opponents against whom Ayton is better suited. But the fact is that the Lakers are a better and stronger team when he is active and making an impact on both ends of the court.

Before the Lakers’ game against the New York Knicks on Sunday, head coach JJ Redick talked about the consistent message he has given the team throughout the season regarding getting the most out of Deandre Ayton.

“Our staff and his teammates, we definitely emphasize getting him the ball in pick and rolls when he has opportunities to duck in versus switching, or even if he gets a seal early in transition. It’s something we talk about a lot,” Redick said during his pregame press conference. “I think the way we’ve coached him has been very consistent. So ultimately, the player has to be consistent. And that’s no knock on DA, that’s just the NBA.

“We’ve been very consistent in the way we’ve trained him. We recognized early on that, maybe it’s not a change, but something we’ve had to adapt to. I think we’re hopeful and optimistic that we’re going to get a consistent version of him over the course of the season.”

To this point, Ayton has appeared in 54 games at a rate of just over 27 minutes per game. He is averaging 12.6 points and 8.2 rebounds with a split of 66.7 percent shooting from the field and 66 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

Last week, Ayton drew attention to himself by suggesting that the Lakers were trying to turn him into Clint Capela, and that’s not his game.

This season, Ayton’s points per game and shot attempts (8.6 per game) are both career lows. But some of this was to be expected when playing with on-ball threats like Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves.

But by the numbers, Ayton has been one of the most dominant defensive players on the Lakers roster. In terms of regular rotation players, he is third in defensive rating at 115.0, behind Jared Vanderbilt and Luka Doncic, respectively. He has provided the Lakers with an interior anchor on that end.

This upcoming offseason, Ayton will have a decision to make as he has a player option for the 2026-27 season. His play later in the year and in the playoffs could go a long way toward his future on this Lakers team.

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.

The Los Angeles Lakers received a somewhat encouraging update on center Deandre Ayton after he sat out Thursday’s 120-113 loss against the Denver Nuggets due to a knee problem.

Ayton’s night lasted only five minutes, during which the 7-footer collected two rebounds and missed his only field-goal attempt before heading to the locker room. The Lakers did not immediately rule him out, but ultimately he did not return.

After the game, head coach JJ Redick confirmed that Ayton’s early departure was due to left knee soreness, although the exact severity of the problem is unclear. Without his starting center, Redick adjusted the rotation by giving extended minutes to Jackson Hayes and deploying several small-ball lineups.

Hayes took advantage of his opportunity and produced 19 points, five rebounds and two assists in 27 minutes, while shooting 8 of 10 from the field. Los Angeles outscored Denver by seven points while Hayes was on the floor.

Ayton has been a regular presence in the lineup this season and has started more games than any other Laker. Over 54 games, he has averaged 12.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 0.9 blocks while shooting 66.7% from the field. However, injuries have occasionally hampered his campaigns. Of the eight games he has missed, five were related to knee problems, while four games early in the season were related to right knee soreness. He also sat out two games before the All-Star break due to the same issue.

Recent performance has also declined. In the seven games following the All-Star break, the 27-year-old averaged 9.9 points on 61.6% shooting and 7.6 rebounds, which is below his season production.

Los Angeles lost despite LeBron James’ historic milestone. The 23-year-old veteran passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most field goals made in NBA regular season history, recording the 15,838th basket of his career. James finished with 16 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals, shooting 7-for-11 (63.6%) from the field before leaving the closing moments with elbow trouble. Luka Doncic contributed 27 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.

Meanwhile, the Nuggets were paced by Nikola Jokic, who recorded his 23rd triple-double of the season with 28 points, 12 rebounds and 13 assists, while Jamal Murray also scored 28 points.

The Lakers, now 37-25, will turn their attention to Friday night’s home game against the Indiana Pacers, when Ayton’s status will become more clear.

The last thing the Los Angeles Lakers needed for Thursday night’s contest against the Denver Nuggets was for their thin frontcourt to become even weaker. But that’s exactly what happened, because according to Chris Haynes of NBA on Prime, Deandre Ayton was forced out of the game early with a knee injury and will not return to action.

It’s unclear exactly when Ayton suffered the injury, but at least the Lakers considered it serious enough to keep him from continuing with the injury that night. The true extent of the severity of Ayton’s injury should be revealed after the game when the Bahamian big man undergoes more testing.

Ayton played only four minutes before exiting; He recorded only two rebounds in that short amount of time he played against the Nuggets.

Without Ayton, the Lakers will have to rely even more on Jackson Hayes, and head coach JJ Redick may deploy a smaller unit to try to get Jokic on offense.

Of course, this also comes with its fair share of disadvantages; Jokic is the toughest cover in the association on the interior, and the Lakers will have to scramble to try to slow him down and send multiple defenders towards him – potentially opening up the floor for other Nuggets to do damage.

Lakers take small steps as Nuggets aim to stretch after DeAndre Ayton injury

No matter who covers him, Jokic is going to fill up the stat sheet. But the Lakers are at least getting him work on the defensive end. With Ayton out, Redick is really short, Marcus Smart is defending Jokic and trying to get in front of him in the post.

Smart, on the other hand, is getting a lot of open looks from beyond the arc. The Lakers are getting what they need on offense, and if that continues it’s up to them to shoot themselves to victory.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – From the league’s investigation into starting the 2025-26 regular season to the shocking trades of James Harden and Ivica Zubac at the NBA trade deadline, this LA Clippers season has felt like two or three entire seasons rolled into one.

Elsewhere, the Clippers parted ways with a future Hall-of-Famer and the best player in franchise history in Chris Paul. Paul’s departure was a surprise to everyone in the league, drawing an outcry in support of Paul and heavy criticism for the Clippers, especially given the fact that it was his final season in the NBA.

After missing the NBA trade deadline and not being able to find a new home to finish the season, Chris Paul officially retired from the NBA at All-Star Weekend. This ended an illustrious 21-year NBA career and left only one member of the “Lob City Clippers”: DeAndre Jordan.

The center, playing in his 18th season in the NBA, is still going strong and is currently a starter for the New Orleans Pelicans.

In an exclusive interview following Paul’s retirement, Jordan told ClutchPoints that he is loyal to his former All-Star teammate.

“Oh, that’s my boy, man,” DeAndre Jordan says in an exclusive interview. “Chris helped my career tremendously, so no one can tell me anything bad about CP. He’s a Hall-of-Famer. He’s done a lot for this game. He’s helped a lot of young players, big guys, helped with IQ, you know. And then things off the court. He does a lot for kids and HBCU schools and everything. So it’s great to see him continue to be the same personality and life he has for people.”

Of the 243 teammates DeAndre Jordan shared the floor with during his 18-year NBA career, only Blake Griffin (543 games played) has played more games with Jordan than second-place Chris Paul (459 games played). The Jordan and Paul duo played in 406 regular season games in addition to 53 playoff games in six regular season games. The two had a .658 winning percentage, going 302–157 together in those 459 games.

Jordan is the player with whom Paul has played more games than anyone else in his 20-year NBA career, totaling 249 teammates.

With Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan all playing 338 games together, the Clippers compiled a 232–106 record (.686 winning percentage) while notching five consecutive 50-win seasons after the franchise had not recorded a single 50-win campaign in the previous 42 years.

That’s why stepping inside the Intuit Dome holds a special meaning for Jordan, who recognizes the enormity of the foundation laid by Paul, Griffin and himself from 2011-2017, despite never winning an NBA championship for the franchise.

Jordan said, “I mean, yes, obviously the three of us, but Steve Ballmer has done an amazing job with the organization, and the Clippers finally have their own arena, it’s good to see.” “It’s something we talked about for so long during my tenure here, spending 10 years here. But, you know, it’s cool, man. I love seeing Clippers Nation continue to grow and expand. That fan base that was amazing for my time here, and they continue to be amazing.”

Chris Paul joined the Clippers for his final season in the summer of 2025 with the understanding that he probably wouldn’t play much, but also that his tough leadership style would have to be reignited. The team struggled to start the season and, as they fell down the standings, league sources told ClutchPoints that Paul’s aggressive methods persisted to the extent that he got into a heated argument with assistant coach Jeff Van Gundy over changing the defensive scheme mid-game. Paul was later seen looking visibly upset during the team’s flight to Miami a day before being sent home by the Clippers.

The way the Clippers moved on from Paul — their franchise legend, in the middle of a night, on a multi-game East Coast road trip — set off a lot of alarms for people around the league.

DeAndre Jordan believes that Chris Paul’s leadership style is very specific, and it is that style that he finds essential to his career.

“I think he’s amazing,” DeAndre Jordan told ClutchPoints. “Yeah, he’s gonna push you, he’s gonna challenge you to be the best player. He’s gonna bark at you. And you know, it’s his Napoleon complex. But I mean, sh*t, for me, I needed it. And some players need it. Some guys don’t want to be challenged, and that’s OK. But I think if you ask any player, they’d want CP on their team.”

With Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan developed into an NBA All-Star in the 2016–17 season, completing his six-year tenure with Paul earning two All-Defensive First Team selections, two All-NBA Third Team selections, an All-NBA First Team selection and a two-time rebounding champion, while being voted in the top four in Defensive Player of the Year voting three years in a row.

Chris Paul finished his NBA career playing 21 seasons and exactly 425 regular season games for both the Clippers and New Orleans Hornets franchises. Despite the rough ending to this season, the Clippers are hopeful that time will heal all wounds and they will one day be able to retire the jerseys of DeAndre Jordan, Chris Paul and Blake Griffin inside the Intuit Dome.

“I’m happy with his career,” Jordan said. “I wish her ending would have been a little different, selfishly, obviously, but I’m sure she’s at peace with it.”

DeAndre Ayton recently made headlines when he expressed his frustrations about his role for the Los Angeles Lakers. He was heard saying that the Lakers were turning him into “Clint Capela”, as if that in itself was a bad thing.

It seems as if Ayton wants a bigger role in the Lakers offense rather than being relegated to a roll man/dive option for players like Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James. But Ayton hasn’t shown enough consistency to warrant that kind of involvement in the Lakers offense.

Capela has known her role from day one and has tried to be the best version of herself as possible. And from the perspective of retired big man Channing Frye, he urged the Lakers center to do just that in a fiery speech on the Road Trippin’ Show.

“Deandre Ayton is not an expert at anything. In what world would I play basketball to Deandre Ayton when I’m messing with Austin Reeves, LeBron and Luka. Stop it. You’re going to fire JJ Redick. Who’s running those plays? When have you seen consistency in that guy? You’ve never seen it. So he said, ‘They want me to be Clint Capela.’ “Yeah, crap, he’s averaging double that for most of his career,” Fry said.

Deandre Ayton needs to buy into his role for the Lakers

Ayton’s offensive game hasn’t developed enough for him to be a consistent night-in-night option for the Lakers. It may be better to try to help the Lakers win rather than trying to do it your own way.

The 27-year-old big man has flourished on a winning team in the past, as he was the starting center on a team that was two wins away from winning the title. So it’s not that he doesn’t know what it takes to win. Now maybe it’s time for him to look in the mirror and admit that he probably isn’t “the one.”

Veteran center DeAndre Jordan has played with some of the most flammable personalities in NBA history, so he knows a thing or two about keeping you cool. After the New Orleans Pelicans’ 115-105 win over the Utah Jazz on Saturday, Jordan made sure to shout out rookie Jeremiah Fears for a different kind of situation: the lack of technical fouls.

“He ain’t got no technique. I’m very proud of him,” Jordan said, smiling. “He ain’t got no technique today.”

“He didn’t get any techniques. I’m very proud of him. He didn’t get any techniques today”

– DeAndre Jordan on Jeremiah Fear pic.twitter.com/GQ0AgVCqdt

– Pelican Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) 1 March 2026

The veteran’s playful jab came after a high-stakes game where emotions could have easily boiled over. Fears, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, played with a maturity that belied his age, especially after Pelicans star Zion Williamson left the game early in the second quarter with a right ankle injury.

With Williamson sidelined, Fears stepped up in a big way. The rookie guard finished the night with a massive double-double, including 18 points and a season-high 11 rebounds. He also added five assists and two blocks in 34 minutes of action, which shows why he remained atop the NBA rookie ladder throughout the season.

The Pelicans relied on a balanced attack to earn their fourth consecutive win. Saddiq Bey led the scoring with 24 points, while Bryce McGowens matched Fears with 18 points. Herbert Jones led the defensive effort with 17 points and eight rebounds, helping New Orleans hold off a late lead from Utah’s Isaiah Collier, who finished with 21 points.

For a Pelicans team that is beginning to find its stride in the Western Conference, Fears’ development as a skilled playmaker is a huge win. If he can continue to accumulate double-doubles while avoiding the referee’s whistle, DeAndre Jordan will have a lot more to be proud of.

The NBA world saw one of the greatest players in history hang up his sneakers last weekend when Chris Paul officially announced his retirement from professional basketball. From his stellar debut with the New Orleans Hornets to his final full season with the San Antonio Spurs, the guard who quickly became known as “CP3” finished his NBA career as arguably the greatest point guard of all time.

Chris Paul spent six full seasons with the LA Clippers franchise, from when he was traded to Los Angeles in 2011 until he was traded to the Houston Rockets in the 2017 offseason.

Of the 249 teammates Chris Paul shared the floor with during his 20-year NBA career, no one played more games with Paul than former Clippers All-Star center DeAndre Jordan. The two played 406 regular season games together in addition to 53 playoff games. The two had a .658 winning percentage, going 302–157 together in those 459 games.

Paul announcing his retirement in the middle of All-Star weekend was somewhat of a surprise, given that the guard was looking for a team to play for and was ending his NBA career. But no team formed and Paul decided to call it quits.

Just weeks after his former teammate announced his official retirement, DeAndre Jordan shared a touching message on Instagram on Friday.

“Can’t believe I’m making a retirement post for your old man! I still remember when we found out we were getting CP3 and the “Lob City” run was born. It still feels like yesterday. Some of the greatest years of my life.

Let me be the first to congratulate you on your amazing basketball career! You have won countless accolades and done a lot for the game. However, the greatest achievement that I have seen in you is your love and dedication towards your family.

Thank you for always encouraging me, even when I wasn’t trying to hear it. ??? You were teammates then and have become brothers forever and I’m grateful.

Enjoy this next chapter of life and the journey. Here’s to more pars and birdies! to encourage

– 6″

DeAndre Jordan was the full-time starter for the Clippers when Chris Paul arrived, but under head coach Doc Rivers, became a 34-minute-per-night player for the Clippers starting in the 2013–14 season. From the 2023–14 season where he played with CP3, Jordan averaged 11.8 points, 14 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game while being named to his first NBA All-Star team in the 2016–17 season. Jordan was also a two-time rebounding champion, a three-time All-NBA selection and a two-time All-Defensive Team selection.

Chris Paul finished his NBA career playing 1,370 career games in the regular season, averaging 16.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 9.2 assists and 2.0 steals per game, while shooting 46.9 percent from the field and 37 percent from three. Paul finished his illustrious, 20-year NBA career as a 12-time NBA All-Star, 11-time All-NBA member, nine-time All-Defensive Team member, six-time steals champion, and five-time assists champion.

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?

Following the Los Angeles Lakers’ loss to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, Deandre Ayton was heard saying the team has put him in a Clint Capela-like role. Capela, who is currently playing for the Houston Rockets, has made his career as a big man who does the dirty work on the glass and on the defensive end.

Capela was never a major scoring threat in the NBA, and he was never one to take many shots during a game. His career average is 8.1 field goal attempts per game, and in his 12-year career so far, he has only had two seasons where he made double-digit shot attempts.

But then again, Capela was a late first-round draft pick. He was not expected to become any kind of star player. He always knew what his role was in the NBA and he played that role well. Ayton, on the other hand, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft. There has only been one season in his eight-year career where he has attempted fewer than 10 shots per game, and that is this season with the Lakers.

When the Lakers initially signed Ayton as a free agent last offseason, it wasn’t without some doubts. His previous stints with the Phoenix Suns and Portland Trail Blazers were marred by alleged behavioral issues. But Ayton insisted he knew what was at stake in terms of his career when he joined the Lakers.

And now, more than halfway through the season, some of those issues are starting to resurface. But if DeAndre Ayton wants to continue to shape his image and the overall perception of him in a good way, he needs to embrace Clint Capela’s role for the Lakers.

Deandre Ayton becoming Clint Capela would help the Lakers

The way Ayton referred to his role in Capela’s transformation made it seem like he was a player of his caliber. But beyond all that, Capela actually played a major role as the starting center during a period when the Rockets were viewed as a legitimate contender in the Western Conference.

His Rockets career averages are 11.1 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots while shooting 61.4 percent from the field. During the playoffs, he averaged 8.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocked shots making 60.2 percent of his shots from the field. Again, Capela knew his role and played it to perfection.

According to Daniel Starkund of Lakers Nation, coming into this season, Ayton himself knew he would have to sacrifice some of his offense while playing alongside Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves. The same three players will have the ball in their hands most of the time and will take the lion’s share of shot attempts. This is not a bad thing and this is how the Lakers should operate.

Ayton has already shown that he can be a good defensive anchor for the Lakers team. He has shown he can be employed on both ends of the court and on the glass. Before the Lakers’ matchup against the Atlanta Hawks on January 13, head coach JJ Redick mentioned how Ayton couldn’t fool anyone by giving up effort on the defensive end on a consistent basis.

“When he’s been engaged, he’s been good. There are some technical things we’ve worked on with him throughout the season, both in his individual workouts and in our defensive circles,” Redick said. “It’s just more consistency. He’s shown he can do that… DeAndre has shown it himself. He can be a really good defender.”

For a Lakers team that has faced problems defensively, Ayton could be the one that can make a big difference. It’s just that he has become more active on the defensive end when he is getting more consistent shot attempts.

However, there is a trade-off to this. Ayton is attempting a career-low 9.0 shots, but he is shooting a career-high 66.7 percent from the field. Playing alongside creators like Doncic, James and Reeves, the quality of his looks is going to be better.

Capela’s embrace of a role of playing strong defense and driving hard on the glass is important not only to raising the team’s ceiling, but also to furthering his NBA career. Should Ayton exercise his team option, he potentially has one more year remaining on his signed contract with the Lakers.

Whether he stays with the Lakers or chooses to go elsewhere, if he can show that he is capable of playing a Capela-like role, he will find a place in the league. The NBA is often a rude awakening for those who are accustomed to having the ball in their hands and being the primary offensive option. That was Ayton’s role during his lone season in Arizona. That was his role in high school.

But in the NBA, players don’t become No. 1 options at the end of their careers. It’s either there or it’s not. And Ayton has the potential to be a good complimentary player on a winning team. He just needs to understand this before it’s too late.

DeAndre Ayton had one of his best games as part of the Los Angeles Lakers when they faced the Orlando Magic, scoring 21 points and 13 rebounds. Although they still lost, Ayton showed what he can do when he is involved in the offense, making him more active on the other side of the ball.

After the game, Ayton was asked if he felt his effort was being recognized by his teammates.

“The ball gets energy,” Ayton said, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “When I’m out there and sealing and they believe in me and they see me sprinting to the sideline and crashing, they reward me.”

After doing media, Ayton went to the showers and yelled, “They’re trying to make me Clint Capela.”

This seems to be a reference to how Capela has been used for most of his career, which is as a rim-running, lob threat who can grab rebounds at a high level. Ayton is basically saying that there’s more to his game than that, and he’d probably like to utilize his strengths more.

Unfortunately for Ayton, his role on the Lakers is very similar to Capela’s, according to a team source.

“When he’s at his best, and we’ve seen it, we’ve seen glimpses of it, he’s playing with power,” the team source said. “And playing with great strength on both ends of the floor when it comes to screening. Then rolling and putting pressure on the rim; [when the] The bullet goes up, breaking the glass; running backs in transition; Loading for basketball; Calling your communication; To be in perfect condition; Competitive shots; Boxed out. These things are really thankless for big guys when you’re a skilled big guy. But that’s his role in this team.”

With all the other talent on the Lakers like Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves, it will be hard for Ayton to become who he truly believes he is.

在NBA，老将的领导力通常伴随着“欢迎来到联盟”的时刻，但新奥尔良鹈鹕队正在颠覆剧本。

在周六晚上以 126-111 战胜费城 76 人队后，鹈鹕队新秀德里克·奎因决定让 17 年老将德安德烈·乔丹尝尝自己的药。整个赛季只打了两场比赛的乔丹罕见地首发，当时他正在接受赛后采访，奎恩用滑稽的刺拳“劫持”了麦克风。

“那么，自从十一月以来没有参加比赛，今晚我们取得了一场胜利，感觉如何？”奎因开玩笑说，取笑这位老将连续 52 场比赛没有参加比赛。

“那么，自从十一月以来没有参加比赛，今晚我们取得了一场胜利，感觉如何？”

德里克·奎恩在劫持德安德烈·乔丹的赛后采访时开玩笑😅

（通过 @NBA）pic.twitter.com/pewzSxQ277

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 2026 年 2 月 22 日

当皇后开玩笑时，乔丹在球场上笑到了最后。由于鹈鹕队缺少了几个关键的轮换球员，主教练詹姆斯·博雷戈转向这位 37 岁的中锋来巩固防守。

乔丹以经典的表现做出回应，在 32 分钟的比赛中抢下 15 个篮板和 4 个盖帽。乔丹也拿下六分，证明他的油箱里还有足够的能量。

鹈鹕队在下半场控制了局面，在最后 21 分钟内以 60-35 击败费城队。乔丹·普尔 (Jordan Poole) 拿下 23 分和 5 个三分球，成为进攻的领头羊，锡安·威廉姆森 (Zion Williamson) 也贡献了 21 分。 萨迪克·贝也拿下20分，帮助鹈鹕队结束连败，今年战绩达到16胜42负。

对于乔尔·恩比德受伤缺席的费城76人队来说，泰瑞斯·马克西的27分不足以阻止他们遭遇四连败。

女王和乔丹之间的化学反应凸显了鹈鹕引进这位老将的原因——不仅是为了他的篮筐保护，也是为了球队文化。如果皇后乐队能够在电视直播中轻松地嘲讽一位传奇人物，那么新奥尔良更衣室的气氛显然正在朝着正确的方向发展。

In the NBA, veteran leadership usually comes with “welcome to the league” moments, but the New Orleans Pelicans are flipping the script.

After an impressive 126-111 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night, Pelicans rookie Derrick Queen decided to give 17-year veteran DeAndre Jordan a taste of his own medicine. Jordan, who made a rare start after appearing in only two games all season, was in the middle of a postgame interview when Queen “hijacked” the mic with a hilarious flurry.

“So how does it feel to not play since November and get us a win tonight?” Queen joked about the veteran’s 52-game DNP (Did Not Play).

“So how does it feel to lead us to a win tonight after not playing since November?”

Derrick Queen makes jokes while hijacking DeAndre Jordan’s postgame interview

(via @nba)pic.twitter.com/pewzSxQ277

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 22 February 2026

While Queen told jokes, Jordan had the last laugh on the court. With the Pelicans missing several key rotational pieces, head coach James Borrego turned to the 37-year-old center to lead the defense.

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.

As the Sacramento Kings have lost their last 15 games, the team is now facing more bad news regarding star forward De’Andre Hunter’s eye injury. Hunter will miss time with the Kings due to an eye injury, with the latest report suggesting he will miss significant time.

According to NBA insiders Chris Haynes and Marc Stein, Hunter “will have to have eye surgery at the end of the season”, which will lock him down for Sacramento, as he played only two games with the team after being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers at the deadline.

“BREAKING: Sacramento Kings forward De’Andre Hunter to have season-ending eye surgery, league sources say”. [Marc Stein] And me,” Haynes, formerly of X, wrote on Twitter.

In terms of what exactly he’s dealing with, it’s been diagnosed as “iritis,” as he suffered an injury to his left eye during a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers last February 6. Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee reported that he will be reevaluated in 10 days, with the ultimate conclusion being season-ending surgery.

Anderson wrote on the

The way Hunter was talking about how good his progress was, it was a profound change in pace, almost speaking as if a comeback could be around the corner.

“It’s not quite there yet, but it’s definitely better than it was,” Hunter said Thursday, according to Sports Illustrated. “I’ve been able to actually play, train and do things like that, so it’s progressing really well.”

At any rate, Hunter looks to be fully healthy for next season and will contribute for the Kings.

Los Angeles Lakers center and former top draft pick Deandre Ayton was taken into custody on Tuesday on marijuana possession charges. According to reports, Ayton attempted to board a Bahamas airport while carrying Medicine.

“Feb 17 (Reuters) – Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton was detained at Lyndon Pindling International Airport in the Bahamas on Tuesday on suspicion of possessing a small amount of marijuana, his lawyer and two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters,” Reuters’ Jasper Williams-Ward, formerly of the X, reported on Twitter.

Ayton is in his first season with the Lakers, his third stop in an eight-year NBA career.

他還是得逞了！勒布朗·詹姆斯已經 41 歲了，但這位洛杉磯湖人隊球星仍然充滿希望。在對陣華盛頓奇才隊的比賽中，詹姆斯起身接住了德安德烈·艾頓的空中接力。看到中鋒將球傳給這位年邁的球星，這是一個奇特的景象，但詹姆斯仍然能夠抓住高傳球，完成扣籃。

賽后，艾頓承認這場比賽的效果比他預想的要好得多。這位湖人球星開玩笑說，如果他把高球傳給其他人，他就會被坐在替補席上。不過，由於接球的是詹姆斯，所以他成功了。

“那太糟糕了。”艾頓告訴記者。 “我告訴 JJ，‘如果空中接力結束時不是勒布朗·詹姆斯，我就會坐在你旁邊’。然後他開始大笑。這就是事實。因為我想，‘喲，我把球扔出了界外。’”這是你在看台報告中看到的事情之一，勒布朗做了一些令人驚嘆的事情，這就是其中之一。他就是這麼做的。 ”

湖人隊快速擊敗奇才隊，以142-111擊敗奇才隊。對於洛杉磯來說，這是一場精彩、舒適的比賽：與他們之前的比賽相比，這是一種非常不同但受歡迎的基調。詹姆斯當晚拿下20分和6次助攻。與此同時，艾頓本場比賽也表現出色，拿下28分和13個籃板。不過，和往常一樣，盧卡·東契奇才是最引人注目的：這位湖人隊球星在比賽中拿下 37 分、13 個籃板和 11 次助攻的三雙數據。

湖人隊本賽季戰績提升至29勝18負，繼續掌控西部聯盟。本賽季，艾頓場均貢獻13.6分。他的籃板數可能會更好（場均 8.6 個籃板），但他已經為洛杉磯隊做到了這一點。

德安德烈·艾頓在周日晚上洛杉磯湖人隊戰勝多倫多猛龍隊的比賽中表現出色。

艾頓正在經歷他 NBA 職業生涯的第八個賽季，這是他在湖人隊的第一個賽季。他在終結盧卡·東契奇、勒布朗·詹姆斯和奧斯汀·里維斯為他創造的進攻方面取得了堅實的進步。這讓他在進攻中變得更加有效。

艾頓在面對多倫多防守時獲得的機會大放異彩。在整個 33 分鐘的比賽中，他得到 25 分、13 個籃板、1 次助攻和 1 次蓋帽的數據。他投籃10投10中，罰球6投5中。

根據 StatMuse 的數據，他的表現在這個正在進行的賽季中脫穎而出。他成為第一個在 100% 投籃命中率下獲得 25 分或以上得分和 10 個或以上籃板的球員。

德安德烈·艾頓 vs 多倫多：

25 分
13 雷布
10-10 前鋒

本賽季唯一一位投籃命中率達到 25/10 且投籃命中率達到 100% 的球員。 pic.twitter.com/bXLVW6gxgp

— StatMuse (@statmuse) 2026 年 1 月 19 日

湖人隊德安德烈·艾頓如何對陣猛龍隊

德安德烈·艾頓憑藉出色的表現重回正軌，幫助湖人隊馴服了猛龍隊。

比賽一開始，多倫多隊就以30-23領先，第一節結束。洛杉磯隊從緩慢的開局中反彈，在常規賽的最後三節以87-63擊敗猛龍隊。

洛杉磯隊有四名球員得分上雙，其中包括艾頓。盧卡·東契奇緊隨其後，拿下25分、7次助攻、2個籃板、1次搶斷和1次蓋帽。他總共23投8中，其中在市中心12投5中，在慈善區5投4中。勒布朗·詹姆斯排名第二，得到24分和7次助攻，八村塁得到10分，馬庫斯·斯瑪特得到8分和5個籃板。

洛杉磯隊本賽季戰績為25勝16負，在西部積分榜上排名第六。他們比菲尼克斯太陽隊領先 0.5 個勝場，比金州勇士隊領先 2 個勝場，同時落後休斯敦火箭隊 0.5 個勝場，落後明尼蘇達森林狼隊 1 個勝場。

湖人隊將在客場期待下一場比賽。他們將於美國東部時間 1 月 20 日晚上 10 點迎戰丹佛掘金隊。

德安德鲁霍普金斯在这个休赛期受到了很大的打击，他因为兴奋剂检测呈阳性而被禁赛六场。 假设他是干净的并且正在接受测试，霍普金斯已经向所有人展示了他在测试失败之前所宣传的一样好。

在本赛季的六场比赛中，霍普金斯有 574 码接球和 3 次达阵。 他的表现显然引起了新英格兰爱国者队主教练比尔贝利奇克的注意。 周二，贝利奇克被问及他对霍普金斯大学的看法，他给予了高度评价。

“我认为他和我曾经执教过的任何人一样好，”贝利奇克谈到霍普金斯时说。

当 D-Hop 得知 Belichick 的评论时，他刚刚 一个词 来形容他的感受。

尊重🫡 https://t.co/clAbogHBER

– 迪安德烈霍普金斯 (@DeAndreHopkins) 2022 年 12 月 7 日

“尊重，”霍普金斯发推文说。

DeAndre Hopkins 被称为比赛中最好的路线跑步者之一。 他也有一双不可思议的手，可以像任何人一样进行有争议的接球。 他的最高速度不是你见过的最快的，但他仍然可以轻松落后于次级。 周日，霍普金斯对一个非常优秀的爱国者队中学构成了严重威胁。

与此同时，贝利奇克被广泛认为是有史以来最伟大的教练。 所以，这是游戏识别游戏的完美例子。

这场比赛对新英格兰来说意义重大。 他们以 6-6 领先亚足联最后的外卡名额。 他们在辛辛那提猛虎队、布法罗比尔队和迈阿密海豚队结束了这个赛季。 所以这场对阵红雀的比赛至关重要。