The Los Angeles Lakes would already be staring down a doomsday scenario during the 2025-26 NBA season without Deandre Ayton. The best gift they could have gotten during this campaign is what the new starting center for Hollywood's team has given them.
Ayton arrived in Los Angeles with a bad rep. After his buyout from the Portland Trail Blazers, there were reports painting the now Lakers center in an ugly light. A diva, self-centered, immature — those were just some of the immediate takeaways from the depictions of his time with the Blazers.
None of that has been a problem with the Lakers thus far. Not only has Ayton been a model citizen for Los Angeles, but the former first overall pick has become one of the most valuable members of the team.
After signing a two-year, $16.2 million deal with the Lakers, Ayton has completely bought in on the type of role player he needs to be in order to thrive in his current set-up. The 27-year-old always knew the opportunity in front of him was large. DominAyton has seized it thus far.
Deandre Ayton has patched up the center position in Los Angeles
The Lakers were in desperate need of a center after getting bullied without a reliable starter during the first-round series loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Jaxson Hayes got played off the court. Los Angeles suffered an early exit in the process.
Pickings in free agency were slim.
The Lakers could have ended up with Al Horford, who has struggled with the Golden State Warriors. They could have also landed on Brook Lopez. That would have been even worse.
Instead, they had Ayton fall into their lap. The Lakers should be incredibly thankful for the Blazers gifting them such a reliable fix to their problems.
Ayton has posted strong counting stats in Los Angeles. His career-high field goal percentage, feasting off all the incredible opportunities created by the Lakers' playmakers, stands out as the most impressive of the bunch.
In a season the Lakers would like to push for a championship, they can comfortably turn their focus elsewhere when it comes to the roster. Is Ayton the perfect starting center? Not entirely. However, there is more than enough reliability there to look at other roster needs.
There was justified reason to believe the Lakers were taking a gamble when they brought in Ayton. The reality, to this point, has been so much kinder to them than they could have ever imagined.