When Deandre Ayton left the Portland Trail Blazers, one of the most eye-popping criticisms that followed him was his inability to view himself as anything but a star. That has not been the tune that Ayton has sang so far with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Lakers center has focused a lot of his conversations around the idea of opportunity. There is a desire to prove the critics wrong. There has been a willingness to embrace his role alongside Luka Doncic.
What might just stand out above everything was a surprisingly honest reflection on his faults. When asked a question at Lakers Media Day regarding his defense, Ayton was willing to criticize himself for his past experiences in serving as a primary rim protector.
Ayton said, "Well, now all pressure is on me. I'm a little older now. The times where I was the only big in protecting the rim, I was pretty inconsistent and didn't really know the tricks and trade of the game, especially playing that high of a level."
Deandre Ayton's maturity will be a gift for Lakers – if it is real
The Lakers big man went on to talk about his desire to learn the terminology and where to be on the floor. For a player whose effort on the defensive end has been previously called into question, Ayton quickly turned that on its heads by talking about wanting to compete every night.
Everything that is being heard from the mouth of the former first overall pick is exactly what the Lakers would want. Seeing Ayton back up his words would be the next necessary step, but it is difficult not to feel cautiously optimistic after listening to him talk.
The Lakers need their new center to be a defensive game-changer. Last season's disappointing outing against the Minnesota Timberwolves demonstrated a clear need for someone who can contest at the rim and alter shots with his presence.
At his best, Ayton has displayed an ability to do that. If there is consistency with how often the Lakers can comfortably rely on him providing that much-needed boost, their defense will receive a clear path to improvement in 2025-26.
JJ Redick and company were forced to deploy an aggressive, switch-heavy scheme last season to make up for the lack of sustainable minutes from big men in their rotation. That strategy eventually got exposed. Their coaching staff can be allowed variance in their strategies with Ayton on the floor.
If this maturity showcased by Ayton proves to be real, the Lakers will be celebrating an incredible offseason coup through all of 2025-26.