Deandre Ayton has been much-maligned since signing with the Los Angeles Lakers this past summer, and much of it has been deserved. When the playoffs roll around, at least he has one thing going for him: he has been to the NBA Finals before.
It has become somewhat fashionable to attack Denadre Ayton as the scapegoat for all of the Lakers' problems. That's not fair; there are multiple other flaws with the roster and even with the team's stars that need to be acknowledged. It's not all Ayton's fault.
A lot of it sure is, however. He refuses to consistently buy into his offensive role, bringing energy and effort only when he feels like it. He has the size and talent to dominate but never has, and seems to exert that dominance less and less with the Lakers. He is inattentive on defense, he never draws fouls, he whines about his role and tries to hunt his own stats and highlights. Clint Capela he is not.
It's not all bad, however, as much as it might seem to be. Ayton does have one thing going for him that could prove useful, if not vital, in the months to come. He was a part of the 2020-21 Phoenix Suns team that went all the way to the NBA Finals before losing in six games to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Deandre Ayton has playoff experience
It's impossible to simulate playoff experience. You have to live it to truly know what it's like. Some players cave in the playoffs - the lights are "too bright" and the level of competition too locked in. Others bring their best games to postseason basketball. You don't truly know until a player is given the opportunity.
LeBron James obviously has more NBA Finals experience than anyone else in the league. Luka Doncic has proven capable of elevating in the playoffs and led the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals two seasons back. Marcus Smart went all the way to the Finals with the Boston Celtics in 2022. Austin Reaves started on the Lakers team that went to the Western Conference Finals in 2023.
It's meaningful that Deandre Ayton has that experience under his belt as well. And he was't a wallflower back in 2021, either. He started and played 36.4 minutes per game for the Suns during their 22-game postseason run. He averaged 15.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. He was good!
Perhaps Ayton won't be a disaster
Part of that was playing next to Chris Paul, the only player to fully unlock what Ayton has to offer; Doncic has proven unable to do so to the same level. But there is at least hope that Ayton won't be scared by the moment, but rather has the track record to know what he is stepping into.
Prior playoff experience doesn't make it suddenly easy to defend Nikola Jokic and Alperen Sengun, or to score on Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren or Rudy Gobert. But for as bad as Ayton has been this season, the Lakers don't have another option. They need him to have any chance of making noise in the playoffs.
Ayton may not help them win, but perhaps he has the experience not to be the reason they lose, either. And Lakers fans will take what they can get with their mercurial center.