The biggest move of the summer for the Lakers was undoubtedly the signing of Deandre Ayton. While the former No. 1 overall pick has a history of underachieving, the Lakers believe they are uniquely equipped to bring the best out of him.
“Team sources believe the Lakers have the right coaching staff to make that happen. In JJ Redick, they have a deadly serious head coach who also understands how to relate to players,” wrote Dan Woike of The Athletic. “Assistant Scott Brooks worked with Ayton in Portland two years ago, and Nate McMillan has either played or coached with or against virtually every personality type the NBA’s ever concocted. And if not, the Lakers have maintained their flexibility for next summer and beyond.”
Deandre Ayton may not have been the Lakers’ first choice for a center, but they were desperate for an upgrade after missing out on Myles Turner and other top free agents. It wasn’t until Ayton that they finally filled the position, and the Lakers are feeling optimistic about what they can get out of him.
On the court, Ayton’s talent is undeniable. At 7’0″ and 250 pounds, he’s got impressive mobility and a naturally gifted touch around the rim. In 40 games for the Trail Blazers last season, he averaged 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game on 56.6% shooting.
At his best, Deandre is a dominant rim-running center who can finish in the paint, clean the glass, and contest shots against opposing frontcourts. The problem with Ayton is more about his focus and work ethic than anything else.
Over the years, he’s been described as an inconsistent player whose effort varies from game to game. With the Suns, his poor work ethic held back his team from reaching its true potential, and it caused a rift that eventually led to his trade.
In Portland, Ayton had a fresh start in a no-pressure environment. Yet, he still somehow overstayed his welcome with fits of rage and temper tantrums that defined his tenure. By the 2025 offseason, Portland was so done with Ayton that they paid off the rest of his contract to cut ties with him forever.
This summer Ayton’s worth and reputation have fallen to an all-time low, and many fans have their doubts that he’ll be able to live up to the Lakers’ ultra-high standards. Fortunately, they believe that JJ Redick has the best chance out of any coach to set him on the right path.
As a former athlete himself, Redick knows just what to say to get through to his players, and his voice is strong in the locker room. With the respect of the team and a system that’s easy to believe in, Redick has found success on the Lakers, and he may be able to get through to Ayton in a way that other coaches couldn’t. If that doesn’t work, there’s still hope that his partnership with Luka Doncic might lead to a breakout season.
For a team with championship aspirations next year, they’ll need all the help they can get to finish near the top of the standings, and that’ll be tough if Ayton isn’t playing up to his potential. The Lakers had no better choice but to bring him in, but now they need to set him up to succeed with a plan and approach that inspires him to give maximum effort.
