If Deandre Ayton wanted a reality check, he just walked into the NBA’s biggest pressure cooker with the lights turned up to 1000. The former No. 1 overall pick has landed with the Los Angeles Lakers—and suddenly, every missed rotation, slow jog, or blank stare is about to be replayed 12 times on ESPN, 40 times on NBA Twitter, and discussed over brunch by retired legends. In other words: Welcome to L.A., Deandre. Don’t blink.
Following a buyout from the Portland Trail Blazers, Deandre Ayton signed a two-year deal with the Lakers—joining a locker room led by LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and JJ Redick with the very clear goal: fix the center position, or pack it up for good. It’s a major swing for the purple and gold, and nobody’s sugarcoating what’s at stake.
Paul Pierce didn’t hold back when asked about Ayton’s arrival. “He’s pretty much exactly what the Lakers need: a lob threat, a guy who can rebound, be an interior presence,” Pierce said on air. “But… I can’t remember the last number one pick that was waived or bought out. That just shows you there’s some things he needs to work on.”
Dec 30, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton (2) warms up before the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-Imagn Images
And the reality, as Pierce laid out, is that this may be Deandre Ayton’s last legitimate chance to convince the league he’s worth a big-money deal. “He should be somewhere with his family and friends talking about, ‘Where do you want me to sign this $200 million at?’” Pierce added. Instead, he’s playing for redemption.
Lakers GM Rob Pelinka certainly believes in second chances, saying: “Acquiring a starting-caliber center was the top priority for us this offseason, and we believe Deandre is an amazing solution.” He cited Ayton’s “size, mobility, and athleticism” as key assets, as well as his experience as a Finals starter with the 2021 Suns.
And he’s not wrong. Deandre Ayton is coming off a solid season with Portland, where he averaged 14.4 points, 10.2 boards, and shot 56.6% from the field—all while playing with the kind of energy usually reserved for laundry day. If he can unlock just 80% of his potential in L.A., this could turn into one of the league’s sneakiest free agency wins.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh wasn’t mincing words either. “He was a number one pick—the same draft as Luka and Trae Young,” he said, almost baffled. “And from what they say, those are two things that he lacks—he doesn’t want to play hard and he has a bad attitude.” Houshmandzadeh continued, issuing a full-blown public service announcement: “Now playing with the Lakers, you’re going to have a microscope on you every single game… If you don’t learn from LeBron, something’s wrong with you.”
Mic drop. He wasn’t done: “When you’re athletic, you can play defense if you want to.” A direct shot at the critics who say Ayton is allergic to contesting shots.
LeBron’s Guidance, Reddick’s System, Ayton’s Wake-Up Call
The Lakers needed a paint presence like Deandre Ayton badly. In Game 4 of their first-round series against the Timberwolves, head coach JJ Redick benched every center on the roster and ran small-ball the entire second half. They lost 116–113. You could almost hear Anthony Davis watching from home, whispering, “Y’all miss me yet?”
Now with Ayton in town, the Lakers can afford to run traditional lineups again—Redick reportedly plans to start him alongside Luka, Reaves, LeBron, and Hachimura. Not exactly a bad core.
And if you’re wondering whether Deandre Ayton and Luka Doncic will get along, they better. They now share the same agent (Bill Duffy) and were both lottery stars from the same 2018 draft. If that doesn’t scream “pressure cooker,” nothing does.
While Ayton’s arrival fills a gap, someone else might be falling through the cracks. Dalton Knecht—once LeBron’s draft-day darling—is quietly losing ground. He scored just four points in the Summer League while Cole Swider and Darius Bazley turned heads, and NBA insiders are already suggesting he might be on the trade block again. “The Lakers have already traded him once,” Brian Windhorst reminded everyone. “This was not a weekend where his value was boosted.”
So, while Deandre Ayton walks into a locker room full of All-Stars and high hopes, young Knecht might be walking toward the exit. The Lakers are making moves, and they’re not being subtle about it.
For Deandre Ayton, the opportunity is golden. A Finals-experienced center joining a team with two All-NBA superstars, a head coach ready to let it fly, and a GM willing to take risks? It’s now or never. And as Pierce so perfectly put it: “Hopefully, with the leadership in that locker room, with the culture, with JJ Redick, he can turn it around—because this is it.”
No more excuses. No more coasting. Deandre Ayton has a shot to finally prove he’s more than a big body with a soft jumper. The Lakers need it. He needs it. And the NBA’s watching—every single night.
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