Patrick Ewing is already leaving his fingerprints on Deandre Ayton’s game in Washington.
The Wizards added the Hall of Fame big man to their coaching staff this summer, and Greg Finberg spotted Ewing working with Ayton on post moves. That’s a notable pairing for a player who can score, but has long had trouble when he gets to the block. If Ewing can clean that up, Ayton could become a major weapon for Washington’s second unit.
That’s the opportunity in front of him now. For the first time since 2020, Ayton is set to come off the bench, with Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr ahead of him.
He’s saying the right things, but there are still questions about how fully he’ll buy into the role. The upside, though, is obvious: a strong scorer and rebounder attacking second units should have a chance to tilt matchups in Washington’s favor.
The post game has been the weak spot.
Last season with the Lakers, Ayton still got 1.1 post-ups per game, but he managed only 0.96 points per possession on those plays, which ranked in the 42nd percentile. In 2025, the numbers dipped even further. He posted up 1.4 times per game and scored just 0.73 points per possession, landing in the 11th percentile.
Ayton has never looked like a bruising back-to-the-basket scorer. His game is built more on touch than power, with a floater and mid-range work that can keep him effective.
That’s why the image of him drilling a spin into a one-legged fadeaway stands out. It’s the kind of move that could give him a cleaner path to easy points against Washington’s younger reserve groups.
The fit on this roster points him toward a bench role anyway. The Wizards will want shots for AD, Trae Young, and AJ Dybantsa in the starting group, while Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George will also need touches. That leaves Ayton as the most natural scoring option among the reserves, and he could even stagger with Ice Trae to get fed some easier looks.
What Washington does not appear interested in is using Ayton as a featured post scorer with the starters. Davis or Sarr would be the preferred roll man for Young, and Ayton’s job would center more on defense and the dirty work. For Suns, Trail Blazers, and Lakers fans, that’s not exactly the part of his game that has defined him.
Still, this is the reality for a former No. 1 overall pick who has spent almost his entire career in the starting five. Ayton has come off the bench in only seven of his 470 NBA games.
He entered the league with star expectations, but the path has changed. Now the ask is simpler: accept the role, help the Wizards, and be part of ending their five-year playoff drought.
Ewing’s presence could matter beyond Ayton, too. Alex Sarr posted up 1.4 times per game last season and scored 1.13 points per possession, a mark that put him better than 76 percent of the league. That’s a strong base for a 21-year-old, and it gives Washington another development lane to explore with a Hall of Famer nearby.
The Wizards are clearly aiming higher after drafting AJ Dybantsa number one overall. With the new lottery reform punishing teams in the bottom three, there’s no reason for Washington to drift into a midseason retreat. The goal is the playoffs, and if the young core is learning from Ewing while the veterans draw attention, there’s at least a real path to surprise.
If Ayton can sharpen his post game and become a reliable bench force, that would go a long way. The talent is there.
The role is there. Now it’s on him to embrace it.
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