The Lakers have been on the hunt for a big man for quite some time. Their players have talked about it, the coaching staff has addressed it, and ever since Luka Doncic arrived in L.A., the need for a true lob threat has only grown. That search finally ended with the team signing Deandre Ayton.
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The Lakers recently signed Ayton on a two-year, $16.6 million deal, with a player option in the second year. On paper, it looks like a smart move, especially for Luka. ESPN’s Michael Wilbon discussed the pros and cons of this trade on Pardon The Interruptions.
Wilbon believes this signing will benefit Doncic more than anyone else on the roster. As Wilbon put it, Ayton fits the mold of big men Luka thrives alongside. He is athletic, he can finish around the rim, and they are the same age, so if the partnership clicks, they can go on for a long time. But while Wilbon likes the fit, he isn’t ready to crown this move as a game-changer for the Lakers just yet.
“Ayton’s defense is spotty. He can be a rim defender. He can be a lot of things, but he can also just take nights off. We saw that even when Chris Paul had to go to the…whip hand and really press him to get them to the Finals in 2021,” Wilbon said. The concerns regarding Ayton’s consistency are valid.
Last season, he only played 40 games, averaging 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. That inconsistency has followed him through his career, and it’s why Wilbon isn’t fully sold. Despite being young, he has played 70+ games in a season only once in his career so far, in his rookie year.
Wilbon believes that it’ll take a lot of work from Luka or LeBron to get Ayton back in his 2021 form. But it’s not going to be an easy task. As for the team’s strength with this addition, he said, “Are they now even with Oklahoma City and Houston? No. They’re not. Not even Minnesota to me, not even Dallas…but this is a step in the right direction.”
As per The Athletic‘s Dan Woike, the Lakers organization is positive that Ayton will respond well to the coaching style of JJ Redick. The 26-year-old has big expectations riding on his shoulders, even before he makes his debut for the Lakers.
