As the Los Angeles Lakers prepare for another high-expectation season, their latest big-name addition, Deandre Ayton, arrives with both promise and baggage. The former No. 1 pick signed a two-year, $16.6 million deal to join forces with LeBron James and Luka Dončić, forming a trio built for box-office appeal. But not everyone is convinced that the partnership will translate to wins, especially on the defensive end.
Former NBA forward Channing Frye minced no words when describing his concern on the Road Trippin’ podcast. “We could get into details, and I’m going to be quick,” Frye said. “The Luka Doncic/Deandre Ayton screen and roll — that’s barbecue chicken. That’s one of the worst ones in the NBA. So, unless they want to address that…” When pressed on whether he was criticizing offense or defense, Frye doubled down: “Defensively gross.”
Defensively Gross: Channing Frye Sounds the Alarm on the Lakers’ Ayton Experiment
Frye didn’t stop there. He cautioned that playing in Los Angeles can skew a player’s priorities, from chasing wins to chasing fame. “Players fall in love with being famous more than winning in LA,” Frye said. “If you don’t have that motor, that sickness to be great… You stop grinding.” That warning now sits squarely in front of Ayton, a talented big man whose on-court production has been steady but never truly dominant.
Ayton, for his part, has embraced the challenge. “It fuels me. It fuels me up completely,” he said in response to his critics. “This is a platform I cannot run from. I can show what I really am.” Still, Frye isn’t alone in his skepticism. Ayton’s defensive lapses — especially in pick-and-roll coverage — are well-documented, and pairing him with Dončić, an offensive savant but defensive liability, raises red flags.
Frye’s criticism carries added weight due to his own brief stint with the Lakers in 2018. After winning a title in Cleveland, he joined Los Angeles and quickly saw how the franchise’s spotlight can shift focus away from the court. “You could do nothing and still be famous,” Frye noted — a warning that mirrors Russell Westbrook’s turbulent Lakers tenure.
In the 2021–22 season, Westbrook’s statistical decline coincided with increased scrutiny and off-court distractions. The narrative echoes Frye’s point: the Lakers aren’t for everyone, especially those not singularly obsessed with winning.
For Ayton, the question isn’t talent — it’s tenacity. And if Frye’s assessment proves true, defensive issues might be just the beginning.