The Lakers were already down one star on Saturday night, and they lost another key piece minutes before tip-off. Ahead of the battle against the Warriors tonight, big man Deandre Ayton was ruled out at the last minute, with the Lakers citing right knee soreness as the reason.
It’s a surprising development for Ayton, who wasn’t previously listed on the injury report. It’s just the fifth game this season that he’ll miss, but it’s a bad look given he didn’t suffer any major setback against the 76ers on Thursday. He dropped 10 points, six rebounds, zero assists, zero steals, and two blocks on 80.0% shooting in just under 20 minutes. For the season, he’s averaging 13.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.6 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game on 67.6% shotoing.
Jaxson Hayes got the start tonight, but it’s not anything he wasn’t prepared for. For weeks, he’s been slowly rising in the rotation as Ayton has fallen out of favor with JJ Redick. Frequent mistakes, lapses on defense, and a lack of consistent effort have drastically reduced both Ayton’s role and his playing time. That’s why Hayes will be right at home today, filling in for Ayton just as he has for most of the season.
As for when we can expect Ayton to return, that much is still unclear. The Lakers are known to be practicing a cautious approach this season, but Ayton’s current situation looks more like an excuse not to play than an actual physical setback. That’s obviously good news for the Lakers’ health status, but it’s yet another sign that the 27-year-old big man is not a great fit for this team.
Arguably, the most glaring signs are his demands for a bigger role. Ayton seemingly wants more touches, and he acts out when he feels like he’s not being included in the offense. It’s a natural desire for any big man, but the Lakers cannot afford such drama right now.
In what could be their final season with LeBron James, the Lakers are desperate to make a run, and they need Ayton locked in and focused to have any chance at success. If tonight’s absence is any indication, he’s not nearly as reliable as the franchise needs him to be. For now, with the trade deadline over, the Lakers can do nothing but tolerate Ayton’s antics as they prepare for the mid-season grind.
But if he fails to prove himself as reliable to this team, the Lakers will have no choice but to move on. At this stage, they are here to win it all, and they cannot abide a big man whom they cannot rely on to show up, play hard, and deliver consistent production every game.
