Deandre Ayton is like that guy who lied on his resume, only to get the job and have to fake it. He's suddenly become important in his new role as the starting center of the Los Angeles Lakers.
But to his credit, he's fared surprisingly well in that role, averaging 15.1 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. Ayton has provided the Lakers with an upgrade over last season's disastrous center rotation that ultimately contributed to an early postseason exit.
Given his history, he'd ideally be considered a luxury to have on a roster, but that's not the scenario the Lakers find themselves in. Will Eudy of Lake Show Life believes that should concern Lakers fans, and he's not wrong.
"It's not that Ayton has some sort of glaring problem right now. But that's just it: Lakers fans have reached a point where they have a reasonable amount of trust in him right now. And unfortunately, Deandre has a history of disappearing in big moments. The thought that they might be getting set up for disappointment has to be the biggest fear for the Lakers right now," Eudy wrote.
Lakers are overly reliant on an unreliable Deandre Ayton
Luka Doncic and LeBron James are two of the best passers the league has ever seen. Ayton benefits from these easy opportunities and is leading the league in percentage of points coming from inside the paint (88.0%). However, he is not the ideal pick-and-roll partner that Doncic famously loves to have at his disposal.
The imperfect roster fit becomes particularly problematic down the stretch of games, when teams often are forced to improvise, relying more on traits such as chemistry and situational awareness. As Eudy notes, that's where Ayton typically comes up short, and it makes life that much more difficult for the backcourt to close out games.
"But when the game gets tight and defenses switch everything, teams look to exploit interior rotations. Ayton’s scoring has been solid, but his presence in the final minutes is not always a given, and that uncertainty can make opposing defenses more comfortable taking away perimeter options instead."
Ayton's inconsistency and lack of reliability were huge factors behind the Blazers decision to move on from their starting center despite one year remaining on his contract. While he's played well overall in Los Angeles, it was still the correct decision to prioritize former No. 7 overall selection Donovan Clingan.
After all, this seems like a honeymoon phase in Los Angeles. Time will tell if Ayton can maintain this level of play over the course of the season, especially given the added pressure to succeed in Los Angeles while playing alongside superstars.
These are questions that Lakers fans still have to ask themselves despite a strong start to the season. Questions that Blazers fans are relieved they no longer need to know the answer to.