After a strong start to the season, things are getting ugly for Lakers center Deandre Ayton. As a former No. 1 overall pick, he has the talent to be a highly impactful big man, but he struggles to keep up his effort and focus to make it count. Tonight, against the Golden State Warriors, Ayton had a defensive sequence so bad that head coach JJ Redick was forced to take him out of the game. The new viral video shows Ayton’s lack of focus as he gives up three straight layups.
Deandre Ayton gave up 3 STRAIGHT layups and Redick IMMEDIATELY called timeout to sub him out 😭 pic.twitter.com/L7fhaT17l4
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) March 1, 2026
On paper, Deandre Ayton isn’t having a terrible season. Through 50 games, he’s averaging 13.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game on 66.5% shooting from the field. But he’s also averaging 28.1 minutes per game, a career-low for the 27-year-old big man. As much as the Lakers need Ayton, Redick has kept his role limited, and tonight showed us why.
Defensive mistakes are a given in every game, especially for a Lakers team that’s struggled all season on that end of the floor. But to look so lost for three straight possessions like that is just inexcusable for a guy who is supposed to be one of the team’s core players.
At 7’0″ and 250+ pounds, Ayton has the size and skills to be a lockdown defender in the paint, but he struggles to show consistent effort and focus. It’s been a problem all season for the Lakers, and the coaching staff has gone to great lengths to try to inspire a better showing from him.
So far, nothing has worked to improve Ayton’s play, and it remains to be seen where he stands after today’s disastrous stretch. Even if the Lakers go on to win this game, major doubts will surface about his role going forward. Redick can only do so much, and if DA continues to have stretches like that, it could cost him his starting spot for good.
In the meantime, the only thing the Lakers can do is play on and hope that Ayton wakes up. While his mistakes didn’t cost them too badly today, the same cannot be said for other games. The problem is, with the margin of error so slim in the West, this team really can’t afford to keep slipping up on defense. Now, it’s up to Ayton to improve and show the Lakers that he can be the center that they need him to be.
