Evan Turner’s Message Hits Home - and Deandre Ayton Should Be Listening
Jonathan Kuminga finally got his fresh start. After years of tension and unmet expectations in Golden State, the Warriors dealt the 21-year-old forward to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Kristaps Porzingis. The move marked the end of a long-simmering disconnect between Kuminga and the Warriors' vision for his future - a vision that, according to reporting, never quite aligned with how Kuminga saw himself.
Head coach Steve Kerr reportedly wanted Kuminga to evolve into a do-it-all forward in the mold of Shawn Marion or Aaron Gordon - guys who thrived as elite role players, doing the dirty work, defending multiple positions, and playing within the flow of the offense. Kuminga, on the other hand, saw a bigger star in the mirror. And that’s where Evan Turner entered the chat.
Turner, a former No. 2 overall pick himself, offered a moment of self-aware wisdom that struck a chord - and not just for Kuminga.
“I remember one time my coach said he viewed me as ‘Richard Jefferson’ and that was the first time I truly understood Latrell Sprewell,” Turner posted on social media. “P.S.
I’d trade the career I had for Richard Jefferson so it ain’t no shade. I just thought I was Kobe [Bryant].”
That line - “I just thought I was Kobe” - says a lot. It’s not about disrespecting Jefferson or even himself.
It’s about the gap between how players see themselves and how they need to fit into a team. And if there’s one player who should be paying attention to that message right now, it’s Deandre Ayton.
The Ayton Conundrum: Less Is More
Ayton’s talent has never been in question. But his fit - especially with the Los Angeles Lakers - remains a work in progress. The conversation around him continues to circle the same frustrating drain: effort, consistency, and a desire for touches that doesn’t always match the flow of the game or the needs of the team.
At 27 years old, Ayton is no longer a developing prospect. He’s a veteran big man with a max contract in his rearview and a championship-caliber team asking him to embrace a role - not a spotlight.
The issue? Ayton still plays like someone trying to prove he’s a franchise centerpiece.
He wants the ball in the post. He wants to face up.
He wants to be a focal point. But that’s not what the Lakers need.
They need rim protection. They need rebounding.
They need a big who can finish plays, not initiate them.
And here’s the kicker: Ayton has shown he can do all of that. There have been stretches this season where he’s looked like the ideal modern center - active on the glass, engaged defensively, setting hard screens, and finishing lobs. But too often, that version of Ayton disappears when the offense doesn’t run through him.
That’s where Turner’s message comes back into play.
Ayton doesn’t need to be Hakeem Olajuwon. He doesn’t need to be the guy on the scouting report teams are scheming to stop.
He needs to be the guy who makes life easier for the stars around him. Think Tyson Chandler.
Think Andrew Bogut. Think Brook Lopez - the Milwaukee version, not the Brooklyn one.
The Reality Check
Back in early 2024, Ayton made headlines with a quote that still resonates - and not in the way he probably intended.
“I got nothing to prove in this league. I’m a max player, and I’ll continue to be a max player.”
That was before he was bought out of that max contract. Before he landed in L.A. looking to re-establish his value on a team with championship aspirations.
The league moves fast. And if Ayton hasn’t updated his internal software to match where he is now, he’s going to keep running into the same wall.
The Lakers don’t need Ayton to be Kobe. They don’t even need him to be Hakeem. They need him to be the best version of himself within a defined role - a role that helps them win.
And if he needs a blueprint, he could do worse than looking at the career of someone like Richard Jefferson - or in big-man terms, someone like Al Horford. Guys who bought into the team concept, played smart, tough basketball, and earned respect not by demanding touches, but by doing the things that win games.
Because here’s the truth: Being a star is great. But being a star in your role? That’s how you stay on the floor when it matters most.
Ayton’s not a rookie anymore. The Lakers are in win-now mode. It’s time for him to decide whether he wants to be part of that - or keep chasing a version of himself that never quite fit the game he’s in.