Deandre Ayton Los Angeles Lakers, JJ Redick, LeBron James, Philadelphia 76ers, Sixers
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Deandre Ayton didn't miss a shot or have a turnover in the Los Angeles Lakers' win over the Philadelphia 76ers, but head coach JJ Redick wanted to talk about another aspect of his game.
The inconsistent play of the Los Angeles Lakers over the past month puts a microscope on the players that have had some low moments. Lakers center DeAndre Ayton has received a lot of criticism for some embarrassing highlights and poor play during this time. Austin Reaves missing over a month of action required Ayton and other players to step up to make up for his absence.
Ayton’s failures have led to some bold comments about his play. Retired NBA player and current analyst Kendrick Perkins claimed he’s heard Ayton’s reputation is terrible across the league:
“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.”
Terms like a “diva” and a “locker room cancer” are never good for an NBA player’s career. Ayton was already in a tough situation coming off failed endings to tenures with the Phoenix Suns and Portland Trail Blazers. The Lakers signed Ayton with a desperate need to add a new starting center for this entire season.
DeAndre Ayton Must Save His Season
Today’s NBA landscape sees talented players getting booted out of the league and having to play international basketball faster than in past eras. Perkins’ claims are that Ayton has a terrible reputation due to his effort and drive being questioned in a high-pressure situation with the Lakers.
Anyone starting in the same lineup with LeBron James and Luka Doncic will place extra pressure on him and anyone in that position. However, Ayton is former top draft pick selected over names like Doncic and Trae Young that was supposed to reach All-Star status. More bad publicity is the last thing he needs in this current role.
Jaxson Hayes is the only other center on the roster to make it likely that Ayton will get the rest of the season playing starter minutes. Ayton will get a chance to turn his momentum around, especially when Reaves is back to give him more opportunities for open looks in the paint.
Lakers Might Quit On DeAndre Ayton
The offseason will see Ayton deciding on accepting a player option for $8 million. If Perkins’ comments are true about Ayton being viewed as a locker room cancer, he will lean towards accepting this deal to avoid embarrassing himself on the free agent market. Few teams will want to take the flyer on a player with personnel issues.
Many of Ayton’s lowlights come from mental mistakes or a lack of effort when losing alley-oop passes or turning the ball over in the paint. Ayton is the only one that can fix this issue and prove to the NBA world that he can be a difference maker.
Things like hustle plays and fighting for rebounds are all that Lakers fans desire from Ayton at this stage. No one expects him to put up high scoring numbers when the big three stars are healthy, but he must battle every night against opposing centers to show his effort.