Entering this offseason, acquiring a quality starting-caliber center was the top priority for the Los Angeles Lakers, and they addressed that need by signing Deandre Ayton. It’s a move that has split opinion, and former NBA player Udonis Haslem shared his thoughts on it on the OGs Show.
“I like Deandre Ayton, but that man want to get to his spot and jab and shoot,” Haslem said. “… He’s not getting the ball. Your a** got to roll and catch lobs and play defense. The ball is going to Luka [Doncic], then [LeBron James], and Austin Reaves. Nobody giving him the ball to get in the mid-range and do all this s***.
“That’s not to say he can’t do that,” Haslem continued. “But that’s not what unlocks the best version of their best players, and that’s not what they need. I like the size because they need size. Rim protector, they need that.”
Ayton is a good rim-running lob threat, but as Haslem pointed out, he likes to step outside and hit that mid-range shot more than anything else. He also operates in the post, but won’t be getting too many opportunities to do either of those things.
Ayton’s role on offense is going to be basically reduced to catching lobs, as Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves will be the ones running the show. Their presence will lead to the big man getting some easy baskets, but you won’t be seeing the very best version of him.
You could argue that some other players would be better suited to the role Ayton will be asked to play on the Lakers. To go along with all that we said about the offense, he isn’t exactly the kind of defensive anchor that this team needs either.
Ayton can potentially do a solid job on that end of the floor, though. His motor is often cited as the biggest issue, and it will be interesting to see if the Lakers’ coaching staff is able to fix that. Team sources reportedly believe that head coach JJ Redick can turn Ayton into their perfect center.
“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.”
The Lakers only gave Ayton a two-year, $16 million deal, so there isn’t a lot of risk involved here. They can cut ties fairly easily if this partnership doesn’t work out. If it does, though, we will look at this as quite a bargain.
Ayton averaged 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game for the Portland Trail Blazers in 2024-25. The 27-year-old has heard all the outside noise and is determined to prove the doubters wrong. He is ready to win a championship with the Lakers.
Paul Pierce, though, doesn’t believe Ayton’s arrival makes the Lakers a title-winning team. They aren’t among the favorites even now, but a lot will depend on how well Doncic plays. He also wanted Ayton on the team, and it will be interesting to see how well this partnership works in 2025-26.
