Deandre Ayton was thrilled to land with the Los Angeles Lakers after the Portland Trail Blazers wisely bought him out this past summer. During Lakers Media Day, he compared himself to a "wounded animal" on its last legs. He also added that he was "somewhere where it counts now," taking a not-so-subtle jab at the Blazers.
The most important takeaway was that Ayton was eager to prove himself on the big stage under the spotlight that comes from joining forces with LeBron James, Luka Doncic, the Los Angeles market, and the historic Lakers franchise. But that same spotlight should have him regretting his decision right about now.
Deandre Ayton should regret going to the Lakers
Everything is now under a microscope, which isn't an ideal situation for such a frustratingly talented but flawed player still struggling to live up to the expectations of being a former No. 1 overall pick. Ayton's defensive lapses, poor body language, and an inconsistent motor (that depends on whether he's getting enough touches) are all things he somewhat got away with in Portland, given the lack of national attention.
But the thing is, he's not even having that bad of a season. Ayton is averaging 14.2 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting an efficient 68.9% from the field. That's better production than most players on a two-year, $16.2 million contract.
Ayton's current situation with the Lakers was all too predictable. Los Angeles has stars like James, Doncic, and Austin Reaves. Still, this is a flawed roster with offensive-minded stars. They lack reliable depth or two-way role players to compensate for those weaknesses. To a certain extent, Ayton is being scapegoated for general manager Rob Pelinka having yet another failed offseason. These are roster holes that extend far beyond a single player. In reality, he's still an upgrade over the Jaxson Hayes-led frontcourt that resulted in an early playoff exit last season. The Lakers didn't meet expectations last season and made minimal moves this offseason. So why is it a surprise that they still aren't contenders? How is that all Ayton's fault?
Blazers fans were understandably eager to move on from him, but that was primarily because they had Donovan Clingan already proving he's ready for an increased role as a rookie. It was also different as Ayton's flaws weren't justifying being the highest-paid player on the Blazers. Under other circumstances, Ayton would've been fine to stay. He's not a bad player overall, just a frustrating one.
The fact that the Lakers are already saying he's not the long-term center, and that fans are blaming their defensive shortcomings on him, suggests he may have been better off going to a smaller market to quietly resurrect his career. That's not Ayton's personality. He's always craved the spotlight, and that decision seems to be backfiring.