When the Los Angeles Lakers rolled the dice on Deandre Ayton in the summer, they were hoping to get a more mature version of the former first overall pick. The hope was Ayton finally being able and willing to accept who he is and the point he's at in his career. That has not been the case.
What the Lakers needed was someone who understood his role and was willing to play it effectively. Upon his arrival, Ayton talked the talk of not ducking the smoke on the big platform that Los Angeles offered. Well, it's the home stretch of the 2025-26 season and the starting center has proven to be exactly who everyone thought he was.
Dave McMenamin offered the latest example of that. After a solid line of 21 points and 13 rebounds in the box score of a brutal 110-109 loss to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, Ayton was feeling himself. On his way to the showers, the Lakers center proclaimed a message loud enough for the ESPN reporter to hear.
"They're trying to make me Clint Capela," Ayton said. "I'm not no Clint Capela!"
Deandre Ayton comparing himself to Clint Capela says more than he thinks
It is somewhat comical that this was the game after which Ayton decided to let loose. Despite the strong box score production, the Lakers big was also a key part of why they lost the game with his defense late in the fourth quarter.
That right there is not something Capela would just allow.
The best version of who the Swiss center was with the Houston Rockets is exactly the type of player the Lakers would love to have on the team right now. Capela operated perfectly on the offensive end playing off James Harden. Conventional wisdom would say his skill set would similarly lend itself to what Luka Doncic wants from a big man.
Capela was also a reliable presence on the defensive end, protecting the rim well enough to cover up for a lot of the mistakes from his teammates. The Lakers would love that type of anchor behind them right now. Instead, they have to settle for what they do have.
Ayton has been incredibly disappointing on the defensive side of the court. The low-motor plays and largely forgettable presence around the rim have been excruciatingly painful to watch, dragging down a lot of the lineups he's been a part of. It has only gotten worse as the year has gone on too.
Ayton was more than happy to slight Capela with his comments after the Lakers' latest outing. Who's going to tell him that Los Angeles would much rather have late 2010s Clint than present day Deandre?