The Los Angeles Lakers made a concerted effort to surround their 26-year-old phenom Luka Dončić and 21-time All-Star LeBron James with suitable complementary pieces this past summer.
In tandem with the franchise’s acquisition of 2022 Defensive Player of the Year winner Marcus Smart, Los Angeles brought in former No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft to the Phoenix Suns, Deandre Ayton, on a two-year deal to serve as an adequate pick-and-roll partner for the Slovenian superstar and rim protector.
Unfortunately, the 27-year-old big man visibly declined in 2024-25 as a former member of the Portland Trail Blazers, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
However, one NBA reporter believes that with the right adjustments to the Lakers’ game-plan, Ayton can return as a net-positive defensive presence in the paint.
“I think he switched onto Giannis (Antetokounmpo) and did really well defending him last season, so that’s an example of a player like Giannis or Zion (Williamson), someone like that,” Lakers reporter Jovan Buha shared during a Tuesday episode of his Buha’s Block podcast.
“Some of these bigger wings, I think he can switch on to and hold his own.”
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“(With) some of the quicker guards, I think it’s a lot of context and very much matchup-based, but I think the Lakers need to do a better job of mixing things up with Deandre Ayton in terms of his pick-and-roll defense.”
“I think if you do that and keep him engaged and active on that end, I think you’ll see a better performance.”
There’s no question that Ayton possesses the physical tools needed to protect the rim at a high level for the Lakers moving forward, but his defensive production will heavily rely on incoming second-year head coach JJ Redick’s decision-making.
Ayton’s mix of mobility, leaping ability and strength could support Dončić and James in a massive way on both ends, but Redick will have to make sure that Ayton’s one-on-one matchups are given plenty of thought before the team takes the floor on a nightly basis.
In just 40 appearances for the Trail Blazers last season, the 7-foot center contributed 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 30.2 minutes, but his -0.4 defensive box plus-minus may have been a product of Portland’s reliance on drop coverage.
If the Lakers want to get the most out of Ayton on the defensive side of the ball, they have to cater to his strengths and stray further from the Trail Blazers’ philosophy on that side of the ball.
Ayton will be an intriguing weapon for the Lakers as a lob threat and talented rebounder, but his effort on defense could be the difference between five more, or five fewer victories this year.
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