The Los Angeles Lakers learned last April that not having a dominant big man for Luka Dončić came at a cost. This summer, they believed they knew exactly what they needed and felt they had achieved it by signing Deandre Ayton.
“Free agent center Deandre Ayton has agreed to sign a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources told ESPN on Wednesday night. The deal includes a player option, sources said. Between Portland and L.A., Ayton will earn $34 million next season,” ESPN’s Shams Charania wrote.
The Lakers knew they were taking a risk on Ayton, as he tends to shut down when things don’t go his way. That is why the Phoenix Suns traded him and why the Portland Trailblazers later released him. ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins went as far as labeling Ayton a diva.
“The word around the league is not good about Deandre Ayton... right now he's been labeled as a diva, as a cancer in the locker room... he has to change a lot about himself or he will find his career being shortened,” Perkins said.
While Ayton silenced those rumors early on, they are now resurfacing. He hasn’t played in crunch time over the last five games. With this trend becoming clear, Lake Show Life’s Tyler Watts suggests the Lakers should try to move him at the trade deadline if possible.
“The Lakers must trade Ayton and their expiring contracts for a center upgrade. DA came to LA to be a starter and won’t be happy coming off the bench. He must go if they can find an upgrade. It is easier said than done, as the Lakers only have one tradeable first-round draft pick,” Watts wrote.
The Ayton opportunity seems to have run its course, which is far from what the Lakers wanted. LA had hoped to get at least one solid run out of Ayton before planning for a longer-term solution.
Ayton has undoubtedly had flashes of brilliance with the organization, but once he reverted to his old habits, the Lakers appear unwilling to tolerate him any longer. LA’s trade deadline outlook may now look very different.