When Deandre Ayton arrived in Hollywood, the Los Angeles Lakers center was saying all the right things about the type of impact he wanted to bring to his new team. Then, Ayton loudly proclaimed he was not Clint Capela.
That sent the wrong message about who the former first overall pick viewed himself as during this stage of his career, and the type of role he expected with the Lakers. Ayton is trying to win back some good will. The Lakers center told Dan Woike of The Athletic about his self-imposed reality check.
"I just started looking in the mirror and said ‘Yo bro, … you’re not that guy. You don’t need to be on this team doing that at all. This team, you came here to be the effort guy and close out possessions, rebound. Run the damn floor hard as hell, make bigs work, make superstars work."
There could be some truth to that. While Ayton has been far from perfect of late, there have been some encouraging moments with his rebounding, defense, and effort. The Lakers and their fans are quietly pleading this shift in mindset is a real one.
Lakers do not need DominAyton — they need him to evolve
As a former top pick, it can be tough to have a breakthrough in your career that being a star is just not in the cards for you anymore. However, other players in recent history have done that and gotten solid careers out of it.
Sticking with just the first overall pick, Andrew Wiggins is a great example. The now Miami Heat forward was dubbed as Maple Jordan before his selection in the 2014 NBA Draft. That is not who he became.
However, once Wiggins arrived in the Bay Area, the Golden State Warriors helped mold him into exactly the type of pro that was going to stay relevant and enjoy an extended career in the NBA. Ayton needs to allow himself room for that kind of evolution.
The Lakers do not need another star, they have plenty of those players. What they need is strong supporting acts who can ensure the hopes of a deep playoff run are not solely on the shoulders of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James going off every night.
Each of the stars in Los Angeles are more than willing passers too. They want Ayton catching lobs and getting himself open to finish off plays. The opportunities will still be there to score.
Ayton claimed to Woike that he was 'having fun' after embracing who he was now following the self-reflection. Everyone with rooting interest in the Lakers will sincerely hope that is true.