JJ Redick is dancing around what Lakers fans already knew about Deandre Ayton

The Deandre Ayton experience has been an absolute roller coaster this season. Los Angeles Lakers fans have gotten very used to the ups and the downs by now. The series against the Oklahoma City Thunder represents the latter, and JJ Redick is having a tough time wrestling with that reality.

Avid lip readers did their best to try and interpret what Redick was saying when the broadcast focused on him following a sequence of Ayton giving up multiple offensive rebound opportunities to the Thunder in Game 3. Some thought the words coming out of his mouth were "I can't play him."

Whether that was the exact thing said by Redick is tough to truly decipher. However, the reason why Lakers fans may be feeling confident in that much being stated is what they have seen from their starting center.

Ayton's effort is once more getting called out by anyone watching the games, something that has been a regular occurrence throughout the 2025-26 season. Redick has been bold enough to axe the opportunities of others altogether. The Lakers center is inviting that upon himself.

Deandre Ayton's viability for the Lakers is quickly fading against Thunder

On paper, the Thunder matchup should be one that screams out for Ayton's presence. The challenge of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein demands the services of a big man who can clean the glass and protect the paint. That should be what the Lakers are getting from their starter.

Looking at just the numbers themselves, Ayton already has two double-digit rebounding performances in two of the three games played. Dive a little deeper and the issue is obvious. The Lakers big man is not helping end possessions.

Ayton posted 12 total rebounds in Game 1, 10 in Game 2, and six in Game 3. On top of the figure declining with each passing matchup, the former first overall pick is actually doing most of his damage on the offensive glass.

Extra possessions on the attack are never a bad thing. However, it also points out that Ayton has not been steadily securing defensive stops for his own team.

Game 1 had seven defensive rebounds. Game 2 dipped to five. Game 3 was the low point that had everyone frustrated, with Ayton only collecting a single pulldown off the defensive glass.

All of this was made so much harder to watch when Adou Thiero received a prolonged outing in Game 3. The rookie forward led the team in rebounding, grabbing eight boards, including five on the defensive end in just 13 minutes of play.

For Redick's part, the Lakers coach refused to back off showcasing a public belief for his big man. The second-year bench boss stood by his center ahead of Game 4.

Redick said, "I said to him in the Houston [Rockets] series, at one point, he was the big part of the reason we were winning the series. He was a big part of the reason we won the series. I believe in him and he’s going to help us win tomorrow."

Privately, Redick may just understand the alternatives to Ayton are not all that much better right now. Jaxson Hayes has not inspired a great deal of confidence during this series. Exploring small-ball sets is tough without having Luka Doncic there to make up the difference on the glass.

For better or for worse, Redick might be stuck with Ayton. Lakers fans know that if this is one of his usual down swings, they are in for a real uphill battle during his on-court minutes.

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