The Los Angeles Lakers signed Deandre Ayton to provide stability at an undeniably weak position. Los Angeles' failed trade for Mark Williams left a massive void at center, and while backup Jaxson Hayes did an admirable job near the end of the regular season, he struggled to find minutes during the playoffs.
While most expect Ayton to be a crucial contributor as a productive center, it's becoming clear that he's the ultimate X-Factor in Los Angeles—and even one of the franchise stars has acknowledged it.
The Lakers signed Ayton to a two-year, $16.208 million contract after he was bought out by the Portland Trail Blazers. Few disputed his importance to a team with limited depth, but even the stars are realizing that his value has reached the point of determining the purple and gold's true potential.
According to Dan Woike of The Athletic, Austin Reaves made it perfectly clear that the Lakers will go as far as Ayton enables them to in 2025-26.
“We need the best version of him for us to be as good as we can be,” Austin Reaves told The Athletic. “If he’s that, then we can be a really good team. If he’s not, I still think with talent, we can win some games. But for us to be what we want to be, we need him to be the best version of himself every game.”
It's perhaps a bold take about a player who will inevitably rank fourth on the Lakers in field goal attempts and perhaps even lower in usage rate once LeBron James returns, but it's unavoidably true.
Austin Reaves: "We need the best version of [Deandre Ayton]" to contend
Ayton, 27, has traveled a journey marked by extraordinary highs and frustrating lows across an eight-year career. He's gone from being the No. 1 overall draft pick and the starting center for a team in the NBA Finals to getting bought out and signing a deal for less than $10 million per season.
While some are fixated on what could've been, Ayton has maintained a level head and thick skin as he shifts his focus to what can still be achieved.
In Los Angeles, he's the clear-cut starting center who's tasked with anchoring the interior on both ends of the floor. He's also flourishing as a pick and roll option, a transition finisher who has perfectly filled the lane, and an emerging source of borderline star-caliber production.
Through 13 appearances, Ayton is averaging 16.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.8 offensive rebounds per game on 69.2 percent shooting from the field—and that only scratches the surface of his peaks.
Lakers win games when Deandre Ayton is involved and productive
Ayton has scored at least 20 points in four of his past seven appearances, as well as five times on the season. That includes his current run of back-to-back 20-point outings, including a 20-point and 16-rebound performance against the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA Cup.
It was the second time this season that Ayton has recorded at least 20 points and 15 rebounds in a single game—production Los Angeles could've only dreamed of after trading Anthony Davis.
Ayton's involvement on offense has gone hand in hand with the Lakers' success early in the season. It's 8-1 when he attempts at least 10 field goals and 1-3 when he plays and fails to, as well as 6-0 when he pulls down at least 10 rebounds and 3-4 when he falls short of the mark.
Los Angeles is also 5-0 when Ayton scores at least 20 points and 7-1 when he scores at least 15, with a record of 2-3 when he plays and fails to reach the latter benchmark.
It's also worth noting that Luka Doncic is shooting 9.1 percent better from beyond the arc when Ayton is on the court than when he isn't. It's a small yet significant example of how Ayton is collapsing opposing defenses and giving the perimeter players room to operate without constantly being trapped.
If the Lakers can keep involving Ayton in a significant manner on offense and his defensive intensity remains consistent, he can raise his team's ceiling, just as Reaves said he can.