What happens when a former No. 1 pick, still just 27, finds himself barely clinging to the Top 30 among NBA big men? That’s the question swirling around Deandre Ayton after The Athletic slotted the Lakers’ newest center at No. 30 in its “Top-40 Big Men” rankings. But according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, the Lakers’ offseason wasn’t just a front-office production.
It had star power behind the curtain. Luka Doncic reportedly worked hand-in-hand with VP Rob Pelinka, taking an active role in shaping the roster. His influence extended beyond the court, with sources noting he played a pivotal part in recruiting marquee additions like Deandre Ayton. And well, Ayton was once billed as a franchise cornerstone in Phoenix.
He even played a key role in the Suns’ 2021 Finals run. But fast forward, and his career has been a carousel with flashes of dominance followed by long stretches of inconsistency. Now in Los Angeles on a 2-year, $16.2 million contract, where expectations are heavier than the Hollywood spotlight itself, his placement reads less like respect and more like a warning. But Ayton, for his part, once acknowledged this: “This is an opportunity that I won’t take for granted. Luka is a once-in-a-generation player, and I’m happy to be his teammate.”
But being ranked just ahead of veterans like Brook Lopez and Al Horford shows the perception gap that Ayton has youth and raw talent on his side, yet he’s seen more as an underachiever than an anchor. For the Lakers, that’s a gamble. They don’t need “sometimes good.” They need reliable rim protection and nightly impact. So the cliffhanger is, does Ayton rewrite his narrative in purple and gold, or does this ranking become his new ceiling? Well, come back here to find out!
(This is a developing story…)
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