The Los Angeles Lakers fell to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night by 10 points.
Luka Dončić was able to put on a masterclass without LeBron James, tallying 43 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists in the loss.
Despite those impressive numbers, one thing stood clear, and Fansided’s Eamon Cassels wasted no time pointing it out.
“(Deandre) Ayton's subpar defense and lack of rim-running abilities made his fit next to Luka Dončić questionable,” Cassels said Wednesday.
“While there was always some possibility of Luka elevating Ayton's game, the 7-footer not fitting well isn't exactly a shocker.”
“The frustrating part of Ayton is that he has all the tools to be an elite roll man and lob threat.”
The Lakers were able to sign Deandre Ayton to a two-year $16 million deal this offseason, hoping he could be the perfect pair next to Luka.
Tuesday night was not convincing, however.
Ayton scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds, not horrible counting stats.
What really stood out was his inability to be a decent defender.
He is barely a rim protector, offering the Lakers little to no paint defense. What’s frustrating is his succession as a screener, but he fails to roll after, often settling for shots late in the shot clock.
Dončić doesn’t need much room to complete a pass, so an ounce more effort from Ayton would go a long way.
As a former number one overall pick, Ayton was known to have all the tools to become a great player. A double-double machine with footwork resembling Hakeem Olajuwon, but it just hasn’t clicked for him.
Luckily, the Lakers and Ayton are only one game into the season.
If there is any time for him to step up his game, it would be now, as the championship window with LeBron continues to become smaller.
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