Lakers Face Familiar Frustrations with Deandre Ayton: Talent Alone Isn’t Enough
When the Lakers brought in Deandre Ayton, the thinking was pretty straightforward: plug a former No. 1 pick into a structured, high-stakes environment and let the talent shine. After all, Ayton’s physical tools-his size, his soft touch around the rim-are undeniable. The hope was that L.A.’s championship culture would unlock the consistency that’s eluded him throughout his career.
Instead, the Lakers are starting to see what both Phoenix and Portland already came to understand: Ayton’s ceiling isn’t about skill. It’s about motor, instincts, and the kind of growth that separates a good starter from a foundational piece.
The Motor That Won’t Stay On
There’s a reason effort questions have followed Ayton from team to team. He’s got the frame and finesse to be a force in the paint, but too often, the energy just isn’t there.
You’ll see it in transition-opposing bigs beating him down the floor, while Ayton jogs behind. You’ll see it on defense-late rotations, slow reactions, missed opportunities to contest or help.
In Phoenix, those moments were frustrating. In Portland, they were part of a rebuild.
But in Los Angeles? They’re a problem.
On a team with championship aspirations, defensive lapses don’t just stand out-they get magnified. And right now, Ayton’s inconsistencies are starting to look less like occasional missteps and more like a pattern that’s hard to ignore.
Zach Lowe’s “Lump of Clay” Comment Hits Home
ESPN’s Zach Lowe recently described Ayton as “just a lump of clay,” a phrase that stuck-not because it was harsh, but because it felt accurate. The implication wasn’t that Ayton lacks talent. It’s that, years into his NBA career, he still feels unformed.
Ayton hasn’t developed the defensive instincts or urgency that teams expect from a former top pick. That’s why Phoenix never fully bought into him as their long-term anchor.
It’s why Portland, even in a youth movement, didn’t build around him. And it’s why the Lakers are now asking the same questions.
There’s a big difference between being a skilled big man and being a difference-maker. Ayton is the former. The latter still feels out of reach.
A Starting-Caliber Center-But Not the Answer
Let’s be clear: Ayton is a good NBA player. He can score efficiently, rebound well, and hold his own against most bigs on any given night. But for a team chasing banners, “good” isn’t enough.
Right now, Ayton plays more like a top-20 starting center than someone who shifts the balance of a playoff series. He doesn’t consistently protect the rim.
He doesn’t dominate the paint. He doesn’t impose his will on either end.
And that means the Lakers have to scheme around him rather than build through him.
This isn’t a new revelation. The Suns saw it in the playoffs.
The Blazers saw it during their reset. Now the Lakers are seeing it, too-up close and in real time.
What Comes Next?
Ayton’s talent has never been in doubt. But in the NBA, talent without urgency and defensive buy-in only takes you so far.
That’s why two franchises already moved on. And it’s why the Lakers may be forced to make a similar decision soon.
With trade season heating up and the Lakers eyeing defensive upgrades, Ayton’s name could be in the mix. Whether it’s as part of a package alongside Austin Reaves or in pursuit of a true defensive anchor like Giannis or Jaren Jackson Jr., the writing’s on the wall.
Ayton’s still young. He’s still skilled.
But in a league that demands both talent and tenacity, the Lakers are learning what others already did: potential means little without consistent production. And right now, Ayton is still chasing the player everyone thought he’d become.