The Los Angeles Lakers have been down this road before. A mercurial talent at the center position has all of the tools for greatness, but uncertainty over how consistent they can be is marring their perception among critics who doubt they'll follow through.
13 years after giving up too soon on Andrew Bynum, the Lakers could redeem themselves by [embracing a second chance](https://lakeshowlife.com/lakers-next-move-signing-deandre-ayton-painfully-obvious) for Deandre Ayton on a contender.
Bynum's legacy and reputation have been tainted by time, a lack of perspective, and an admittedly ugly exit from the NBA. Before he was viewed as a cautionary tale, however, he was one of the best centers that the Association had to offer.
More importantly, Bynum was the epitome of the player whose flaws were unavoidable early in his career but whose steady emergence as a world-class player became undeniable.
Bynum started 41 out of 46 playoff games when the Lakers went back-to-back with championships in 2009 and 2010. He averaged just 17.4 minutes per game during the 2009 NBA Playoffs, but was up to 24.4 the next year.
Concerns over Bynum's inconsistency persisted, but in 2011-12, he earned All-NBA Second Team honors with a tremendous season—only to be traded shortly thereafter.
Deandre Ayton is Lakers' chance to make up for trading Andrew Bynum
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Ayton's story is remarkably similar to Bynum's. Four years ago, he was the starting center for a Phoenix Suns team that was playing in the NBA Finals for the first time in 28 years—averaging 15.8 points and 11.8 rebounds on 65.8 percent shooting during that magical postseason run.
Considering he was still a month shy of turning 23 at the time, it seemed as though stardom was inevitable for the former No. 1 overall draft pick.
Unfortunately, the past four seasons have been nothing short of polarizing. He took a clear step forward in 2021-22, averaging 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds on a 64-win team before averaging 17.9 points on 64.0 percent shooting during the playoffs.
Even upping the ante to 18.0 points and 10.0 rebounds in 2022-23 couldn't save him from a trade to the Portland Trail Blazers, however, that has resulted in many questioning his future.
Much like Bynum in 2012, Ayton finds himself at a career crossroads. He's ended up with a marquee franchise, much as Bynum did when he landed with the Philadelphia 76ers. Injuries unfortunately derailed Bynum's career from there, but Ayton still has much left in the tank.
One can only hope that the Lakers will give Ayton the chance [to continue his development](https://lakeshowlife.com/biggest-winner-deandre-ayton-signing-gifted-shot-lucrative-lakers-future) that it unfortunately deprived Bynum of.
Ayton will certainly have the pieces around him to optimize his success. Luka Doncic and LeBron James are two of the best players and playmakers in NBA history, and Los Angeles won 50 games in 2024-25 despite spending almost half of the season without a starting-caliber center.
2024-25 success certainly doesn't guarantee similar results in 2025-26, but if Ayton makes the most of his new surroundings, the Lakers could help him achieve redemption.