Deandre Ayton answered the hopes and prayers of everyone in Los Angeles that wanted to see a proper starting-caliber center walk through the doors of Crypto.com Arena. Luka Doncic is someone who was certainly not shy about sharing his excitement to play with his new big man.
Doncic said at Lakers Media Day, "We added some great pieces. ... I was very excited when they told me we were trying to get DA. Obviously, we entered the draft together. I've known him for a long time. So, I'm very excited to have him on my team."
The excitement surrounding the partnership was a two-way street. The new Lakers starting center could not help but contain the feelings about what playing with Doncic could bring out of him in the upcoming season.
Ayton said, "I've proven myself that I dominate best with playmakers. ... I'm much older now and the game is easier to me. Playing alongside Luka is going to make a lot of things easier. It's the true nature of the game and I'm ready just to emphasize that even more."
Doncic highlights growing belief that Ayton experiment will succeed in Los Angeles
Ayton acknowledged the pressure that will come in Los Angeles. The Lakers center viewed it as a privilege, reasserting the same feelings of believing this was the perfect stage for him that were shared at his introductory press conference with the team.
The mutual interest between Doncic and Ayton is clear. The Lakers superstar point guard must be thrilled to have someone for easy offense at the rim, offering a clear upgrade from last season. The Lakers big man, meanwhile, knows a payday can find him once more with the new man setting the table for him.
Doncic has thrived with lob threats and rim runners throughout his NBA career. Players like Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford perfectly illustrate just how advantageous it has been to be a vertical threat playing next to Luka.
Even Jaxson Hayes shot a career high from the field with Doncic last season. If Hayes can reap those type of rewards with Luka, then Ayton, who is far more skilled, should have life on easy mode for the new campaign.
The Lakers may still want to look at addressing the backup position behind Ayton before the NBA trade deadline. However, Doncic sounds eager to try and make the Ayton experiment work once the regular season gets going.