Luka Doncic has some initial thoughts on the Los Angeles Lakers signing Deandre Ayton, and while they are overwhelmingly positive, they should also terrify the fanbase because expectations are being set far too high. According to Dan Woike of The Athletic, Doncic is a fan of the Ayton move, largely because of his role on the 2021 Phoenix Suns team that made the NBA Finals:
“The proven success, Ayton’s role on that 2021 Suns team, is one of the reasons why Dončić is eager about teaming up, league sources told The Athletic. The two also share an agency, WME headed by Bill Duffy, and got ready for that 2018 draft in the same hotel room.”
And though it’s certainly a good thing that Doncic likes the move, he may be setting his expectations far too high.
The 2026 Lakers aren’t the 2021 Suns
First and foremost, while Ayton definitely played an important role on the 2021 Suns, that team is far different from the one the Lakers are building around Doncic and LeBron James heading into next year.
Doncic and James as a duo are better than Devin Booker and Chris Paul, but the fit is a bit more awkward. Both guys thrive with the ball in their hands, while Booker is far more comfortable playing off the ball.
On top of that, the supporting cast was much better in Phoenix. Austin Reaves is a solid player, but he’s not a good enough defender to make up for Doncic and James’ deficiencies on that end (a 41-year-old James is far different defensively than he was even a few years ago). The same can be said for the likes of Dalton Knecht, Jake LaRavia, and Gabe Vincent.
The best perimeter defender LA has on their roster heading into next year is probably Jarred Vanderbilt, and he’s a four-man without a jump shot.
Meanwhile, the 2021 Suns had Mikal Bridges, the runner-up in Defensive Player of the Year voting, Cameron Johnson, and Jae Crowder.
Not only are those three guys better defenders than almost all of the Lakers’ current supporting cast, but their offensive games were a much better fit, too.
Deandre Ayton isn’t the same player
And perhaps most importantly, Ayton isn’t the same player he once was. During the peak of his time with the Suns, he was an elite interior defender, a great rim-runner, and an automatic double-double.
He’s still putting up his points and rebounds, but the rest of his game has severely fallen off, and his time with the Portland Trail Blazers exposed some unfortunate characteristics.
Since he joined Portland, Ayton’s subpar work ethic and attitude problems have come to light, which doesn’t bode well for his fit in one of the most pressure-filled environments in sports. Even during the latter portion of his time in Phoenix, he got into quibbles with coach Monty Williams.
It makes perfect sense for Doncic to be excited about the move, but him likening it to the 2021 Suns could be setting himself (and fans) up for some serious disappointment.