The calendar will not even be flipped to November before Deandre Ayton circles his first must-win game of the season. 6 days into it, on Oct. 27, it will be the Los Angeles Lakers vs. the Portland Trail Blazers.
Deandre Ayton’s first big test comes fast
That game will not just be another regular early-season matchup. For Ayton, it will mean more. It will be the first chance to respond, not with words, but with presence.
The Lakers’ third home game of the season brings the Blazers to Crypto.com Arena. The same franchise that earlier this offseason gave up on Ayton. They did not trade him; they cut him loose. For a former No. 1 pick, that kind of exit definitely should sting.
It was the kind of separation that makes headlines and leaves questions. On paper, the Lakers gained a skilled big. Luckily for them, what they might have even gained a motivated one.
Ayton’s exit from Portland was not pretty. After being traded from the Phoenix Suns in the Damian Lillard deal, he never found his footing in Oregon.
His numbers, around 14 points and 10 boards a game, were solid, but the fit never felt right. Whether it was effort or just plain chemistry, Portland chose to walk away, eating around $30 million in the process.
This game will be more than just about putting up stats for Ayton. It will give him an opportunity to be seen again. The Lakers did not sign Ayton just to add depth. They brought him in to make a difference, whether it be on the defensive end or on the boards.
What Portland questioned, Ayton now has the chance to prove wrong in front of a packed Los Angeles crowd, wearing purple and gold, on a team that expects more and does not hesitate to demand it.
Los Angeles has absolutely owned this matchup in recent history, going 8-2 against the Blazers in their last ten meetings. That is just the context. This one has a completely different vibe.
A player with something to prove. A franchise betting on untapped potential. A former team watching closely to see what they might have missed.
Oct. 27 might not be a televised Christmas game or a playoff game. But for Ayton, it could be the first step in a very real redemption story.