Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton has yet to become the superstar he was expected to be, but who's to say he can't still be an invaluable contributor? It's the question that teams continue to ask about players like Ayton, whose potential is unrealized but whose talent is undeniable.
If the early stages of Ayton's tenure with the Lakers have proven anything, it's that there's a valid reason to bet on players with the type of truly special talent that he possesses.
Ayton struggled in the Lakers' regular season opener, but he's quickly erased the memory of his debut. He's currently averaging 16.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.9 offensive boards, 1.3 assists, and 1.1 blocks on 65.1 percent shooting from the field.
Ayton's latest performance was easily his best with Los Angeles, as he went off to the tune of 29 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, and three blocks in a shorthanded win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
🏀 MONDAY'S FINAL SCORES 🏀
Deandre Ayton's double-double lifts the @Lakers to their fourth-straight victory!
Rui Hachimura: 28 PTS, 10-15 FGM
Nick Smith Jr.: 25 PTS, 5-6 3PM
Deni Avdija: 33 PTS, 6 REB
Shaedon Sharpe: 23 PTS, 7 REB, 3 STL https://t.co/kx4H9RUNPz pic.twitter.com/bORsbEfciu
— NBA (@NBA) November 4, 2025
It was a shocking result, as the Lakers defeated a strong Trail Blazers team despite playing without Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves. It was also the epitomization of why teams are so willing to gamble on top-tier talent, even if they've struggled to put the pieces together.
Consistency has been an issue for Ayton, but the peaks have been well worth the investment early in his Lakers tenure.
Deandre Ayton is too talented for teams to ignore what's possible
If you let his critics tell the story, Ayton will never truly live up to the hype of being the No. 1 overall selection in the 2018 NBA Draft. He's a perfectly legitimate starter who has even played in the NBA Finals, but he'll never be the star that so many projected him to be.
It's even more difficult to envision Ayton living up to past expectations when one considers that he has to justify being selected ahead of Jalen Brunson, Doncic, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The reality that Ayton is living in, however, is one that doesn't necessarily factor the past into the future. Perhaps it's considered when debating role and salary, but how much value he can provide to a rotation has nothing to do with what some once hoped he'd be.
That's been supported early in 2025-26, as Ayton has emerged as Exhibit A of why the Lakers are among the teams that are always willing to give talented players a second chance.
Ayton may not have an All-Star nod on his résumé, but he has averaged a double double in seven consecutive seasons. He also started 22 postseason games when the Phoenix Suns reached the 2021 NBA Finals and helped the team win 64 games the following year.
Ayton's tenure with the Portland Trail Blazers left a lot to be desired, but at 27, he's only now entering the athletic prime of his career.
There have been lackluster showings within Ayton's first eight games with the Lakers, of course, but there have also been an abundance of promising signs. He seems to be an ideal complement to Doncic and Reaves, and has an ability to assert himself offensively that the other bigs on the roster simply lack.
Patience remains essential to getting a proper read on Ayton, but the Lakers are actively proving why teams are often wise to take low-cost risks on untapped potential.