Unleashing Lakers Magic: DeAndre' Ayton's Unmatched Loyalty!
Ayton has rebounded, played hard on defense and filled a role — as he did for Phoenix in its 2021 Finals run.
It was no secret, JJ Redick had been preaching it since Day 1: The Lakers didn't need Deandre Ayton to be a star, they just needed him to thrive in his role. Set picks. Roll hard to the rim.
Defend the rim. Rebound. Do that, and this team wins.
It took a while for “I’m not Clint Capela” Ayton to buy in. This was a different role than even the one he accepted with the Chris Paul/Devin Booker Phoenix Suns, a team that reached the NBA Finals with Ayton setting picks, rolling hard to the rim and defending. However, during this recent run — in which the Lakers have gone 9-1 in their last 10 and have the league's sixth-best defense during that stretch — the Lakers have finally gotten the Ayton they needed.
He was at the heart of recent wins against the Knicks, Timberwolves, Nuggets and Rockets. Ayton spoke to Dan Woike of The Athletic about filling his role and understanding how he can impact a game without scoring. "And I've completely … I bought in.