Deandre Ayton has blown hot and cold in his first season with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers acquired the big man last summer to address the desperate need at center following Anthony Davis’s departure, adding him to the fold after a buyout from Portland.
However, it has not been a smashing success for Ayton in his maiden year with the Lakers. But Thursday was a good outing, as he ended with 23 points against the Chicago Bulls.
Deandre Ayton ‘Finally Caught Up With the Team’ After Lean Patch
After copping flak for his recent stretch of lean performances, Ayton finally had a reason to smile. Speaking to the media after the Lakers’ 142-130 win, the center was asked about his 23-point, 10-rebound double-double.
“Felt like I picked up my energy and my focus,” he said, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “You know, I finally caught up with the team.” He further added, “If something’s not working, you’re gonna fix it. Just gotta get up and fix it. That’s all. There was nothing that led to it.”
Ayton’s last couple of games have seen consecutive double-doubles. Against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the big man put up 14 points and 12 rebounds. Leading up to the good performances, he went scoreless against the Denver Nuggets and chalked up just six points and eight rebounds against the New York Knicks.
Deandre Ayton averaged 14.3 points on 71.4% and 10 rebounds in the Lakers’ last three games after leaving the DEN game early and missing IND. “Felt like I picked up my energy and my focus,” he said. “You know, I finally caught up with the team.” pic.twitter.com/zGx8d3D49D
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) March 13, 2026
His first season with the Lakers has been a mixed bag, with his performances ranging from brilliant to below par. Earlier, Ayton garnered massive criticism for his comment name-dropping Clint Capela after his 21-point, 13-rebound performance against the Orlando Magic.
After his outing, the center boldly claimed that the Lakers were trying to turn him into Capela, and this didn’t go down well with the player he mentioned or with analysts, as they ripped into Ayton. Capela responded, saying, “U got 2 of the best floor generals in the game, my dawg. Lock in.”
The Lakers will need more from Ayton as they enter the most decisive stretch of their season. While Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James have been the team’s offensive engines this season, Ayton hasn’t necessarily seen consistent success on both ends of the floor.
At the time of writing, the eight-season NBA veteran is averaging 12.5 points and 8.3 rebounds in 57 games for the Lakers. The big man was viewed as a primary center option this season because of his athleticism, size, and strength to complement Dončić. His ability to be a rim-runner added to his strengths, but the results have been mixed.
On the season front, the Lakers are third in the West as a result of their four-game winning streak. They will finish their five-game homestand against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday and head to Houston for a two-game set against the Rockets. It remains to be seen if Ayton can keep up his recent strong outings against teams that are potential playoff contenders.
