It’s media day around the NBA as fans get to hear from the newest members of their teams, as the 2025 season is less than a month away. The two biggest acquisitions from this past offseason for the Los Angeles Lakers are Marcus Smart and former #1 overall pick Deandre Ayton. Last year, one of the biggest reasons why they lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round was that they had no answer for Minnesota big men Rudy Gobert, Naz Reid, and former Laker Julius Randle. With head coach JJ Redick refusing to play the Lakers’ only center, Jaxson Hayes, the Lakers’ only answer to the Wolves’ size was LeBron James, who is not a center.
In the Western Conference, you have to have size to make a deep playoff run. The answer to stopping elite centers like Nikola Jokić, Alperen Şengün, Chet Holmgren, or Victor Wembanyama in a potential playoff series cannot be a 41-year-old LeBron James. The Lakers desperately needed size, and that is exactly what Ayton brings to this team.
Luka Dončić Urged the Lakers’ Front Office to Sign Deandre Ayton
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Standing 7 feet tall with a 7-foot-6 wingspan, Ayton has the tools to guard and outrebound any center in the NBA. Once the top 2 prospects in the 2018 draft, Luka Dončić and Deandre Ayton met at the NBA draft combine and have remained friends throughout their NBA careers.
According to LakeShowLife, Luka Dončić said, “I was very excited when they told me we were trying to get DA. Obviously, we entered the draft together. I’ve known him for a long time. So, I’m very excited to have him on my team.”
Luka Dončić saw the perfect chance to team up with Ayton after the Blazers bought out the remainder of his contract and urged the front office to sign the big man. The move signaled to the other teams around the league that the Lakers will be building around Luka Dončić moving forward.
Well, and also the three-year $165 million contract Luka was rewarded with this offseason was a pretty clear signal as well. In addition to their great friendship, Dončić and Ayton are also a perfect basketball duo. Luka is an excellent passer, and in order to maximize his abilities, he needs a center who can run to the rim, catch lobs, play defense, set screens and can run the pick & roll. These attributes are all of Deandre Ayton’s strengths, making him a perfect pairing for LA’s next superstar.
Change of Scenery
Ayton has often been criticized for his lack of effort and passion for the game during his career. Famously, Ayton once missed a game in Portland because there was too much snow on his driveway. However, Ayton’s quotes at the Lakers’ media day press conference provide a great insight into the new mindset he will bring to the Lakers this season. Ayton clearly understands the expectations of the Lakers’ fans and organization going into any season: winning and ideally winning championships. Deandre Ayton is only 27 years old, and just because things did not work out in Portland, it does not mean he cannot revitalize his career on a team like the Lakers.
“This is the biggest opportunity of my career,” Ayton said at the Lakers media day press conference, “I’m somewhere where it counts now and I’m happy that everybody gets to see it. I’m happy where as a player, I get to prove something on a big stage.”
Losing is difficult for extremely competitive athletes, and playing for a non-contender like Portland, after being 2 games away from a championship in Phoenix, can take away an athlete’s love for the game. If Ayton truly wants to win, coming to the winningest franchise in modern sports might be just what he needs to change the trajectory of his career.
This is likely Ayton’s last chance of salvaging his career, so expect him to put in a great effort this season. Plugging Ayton into an already dynamic lineup featuring Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James should lead to a winning combination as the Lakers look to get off to a strong start when they face the Golden State Warriors on October 21st.