The Los Angeles Lakers agreed to a contract with Deandre Ayton after he was bought out by the Blazers. The former number one overall pick’s poor behavior played a role in his release (subscription required). Jason Quick of The Athletic reported Ayton was late to practices and team flights, threw temper tantrums in the locker room, and would throw chairs on the sidelines. Portland is literally paying him millions of dollars to play for the Lakers, which should worry fans.
This was not Ayton’s first breakup. Things got so bad in Phoenix, that the Suns dumped him on the Blazes for Jusuf Nurkic. Phoenix regretted the Nurkic contract for years but had to send Ayton packing. His time with the Suns was over before his contract ended, and the same story repeated in Rip City.
The Lakers had a desperate need at the five and filled it with Ayton. His stats are impressive, but signing Ayton is not the move LeBron James was clamoring for. The seven-footer is more likely to be a problem than a solution for his new franchise.
Lakers signing Deandre Ayton is the worst move imaginable
Ayton averaged 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.0 block in 30.2 minutes per game last season. Those appear to be the stats of an impactful signing, but not so fast. Blazers were minus-6.8 per 100 possessions with Ayton on the floor and 5.1 points per 100 possessions better when he went to the bench. The stats were similar in his final year with the Suns. Ayton’s teams are often better without him.
The 26-year-old is in his prime but lacks “self-awareness” per Jason Quick. He thinks he is a max contract player. Ayton wants the ball and to have the ability to post up. Those are problems on a Lakers squad with Luka Doncic, LeBron, and Austin Reaves.
The Lakers' newest superstar wanted a lob-threat big man capable of protecting the rim. Ayton’s effort and intensity on defense vary. He has produced a negative defensive box plus-minus in four of his seven NBA seasons and is not a rim-deterrent. The seven-footer loves to shoot floaters and rarely gets all the way to the rim. Those are problems in a Luka-led attack.
Los Angeles has a starting center, but getting Ayton to lock in and avoid causing distractions is a new problem. Head coach J.J. Redick is intense and dedicated to preparation with Ayton being the opposite. The big man will want to play massive minutes and be a focal point for the Lakers. They signed up for this. It is guaranteed to end poorly, but Rob Pelinka and the front office just couldn’t help themselves.
The Los Angeles Lakers have work to do if they want to compete for a championship. They should trade their draft capital and expiring contracts to improve their odds. Luka Doncic and LeBron James want to win now, and the franchise must add pieces to make that a reality. The Deandre Ayton signing won’t end well, but desperate times call for desperate measures.