The Los Angeles Lakers are still searching for an offensive rhythm, and internal frustrations are beginning to surface as the season wears on. Head coach JJ Redick acknowledged that Deandre Ayton’s role has become a growing point of emphasis as the team works through spacing, execution, and engagement issues.
“I think he’s frustrated. He doesn’t feel like he’s getting the ball. There’s some stuff we have to clean up versus the shock, just for him to be more available,” Redick said, via Dave McMenamin. “It’s on everybody. We tried to run an ATO (after-timeout play) for him, but that was one of the ATOs we didn’t run correctly. There are opportunities for him to duck in at times when he’s not being active, and there are opportunities to hit him when he’s not ducked in and we’re not hitting him.”
“To me, it comes down to whether he’s going to be active, engaged, and assertive. I think the trust level from the past builds off that. But we have to start getting him a couple of touches before the seven-minute mark.”
Redick’s comments expose a broader theme within the Lakers’ offense, where process and timing have often lagged behind intention. While the coaching staff has made efforts to involve Ayton, breakdowns in execution and spacing have limited how consistently those plans translate to game action.
“We’ve talked about it as a team how if you don’t feel like you’re getting the ball, the rest of your focus wanes a little bit,” Redick added. “I think that’s human nature for most NBA players.”
From a production standpoint, Ayton’s season has been solid, even amid rising frustration. He is averaging 14.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game while shooting 70.3% from the field. Through 28 games so far, he’s averaging 9.5 shot attempts per game, the lowest mark of his career by far.
The Lakers, meanwhile, sit at 21-11, a record that looks strong on paper but has masked recurring issues with consistency, effort, and lineup cohesion. Those struggles have shown up most clearly on the defensive end and in physical games. Los Angeles has had trouble protecting the paint and maintaining energy when shots are not falling. Ayton’s rebounding and rim presence are critical to addressing those flaws, but his impact naturally diminishes when he is disengaged offensively. That is seemingly what happened in Friday’s win over the Grizzlies, when JJ Redick played Jaxson Hayes over him down the stretch of the game.
The path forward is relatively clear, even if the execution has not been. Los Angeles needs to prioritize early touches for Ayton, clean up its entry passes, and hold guards accountable for involving him in the flow of the offense. At the same time, Ayton must continue to assert himself, especially in sealing defenders and creating passing angles. If both sides meet in the middle, the Lakers have a chance to stabilize their identity and unlock a more balanced version of their roster as the season progresses.
